“It seems likely most creditors, especially consignors whose possessions were sold but who have yet to receive payment from Ritchies, are going to come out of the proceedings empty-handed.” It appears that “the money Ritchies collected from auction sales was not put in a separate trust account for consignors.”
Author: Laura Collins Hughes
Police: Ex-Winterthur Staffer Stole Lavishly Via Credit Card
“A former Winterthur Museum employee voluntarily turned himself into Delaware State Police today after a theft investigation revealed he had spent more than $100,000 of the museum’s money.”
Philly Chamber Orchestra Names Solzhenitsyn’s Successor
The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia has tapped Belgian Dirk Brossé, 49, to succeed pianist/conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn, its music director for the past 16 years. Solzhenitsyn is departing “a year before the end of his current contract,” becoming conductor laureate next season, when Brossé begins his four-year contract.
Blaming State Cuts, Philly’s Devon Theater Cancels Season
“The theater’s creators and overseers, the Mayfair Community Development Corporation, announced over the weekend in letters to about 700 subscribers that a state budget cut left the agency with no money to create productions from scratch.” It will go dark after its current production closes next month.
Best-Selling Chinese Novelist Wins Man Asian Prize
Su Tong’s “The Boat to Redemption,” a novel about “a playboy Communist party official who castrates himself after he is banished to live on a river barge,” has won the Man Asian literary prize,” which “goes to an ‘Asian’ novel unpublished in English.”
Faithful To Utzon’s Vision, Sydney Opera House Is Updated
“Great views of Sydney Harbour from inside a stylish new foyer, better disabled access and more toilets are just some of the improvements transforming Australia’s busiest building. The western side of the Opera House now has a colonnade and windows.”
Co-Author? What Co-Author? Palin Barely Thanks Hers
Three paragraphs after Sarah Palin begins her acknowledgments with a nod to herself, “[Lynn] Vincent’s name is mentioned with several others. (At least she made it before the thanks to flight attendants, ‘Big Dipper Construction’ and ‘everyone who values good customer service.’)”
If We Get First-Run Films At Home, Is Hollywood Doomed?
“As DVD sales decline, Hollywood studios are looking for ways to get movies straight to consumers’ living rooms. This has some industry insiders worried that Hollywood is jeopardizing its most valuable asset: the theatrical release date. The movie industry is looking to change the way it distributes content.”
For Alzheimer’s, Stroke, Autism, Music Can Help
“[B]eyond the entertainment value, there’s growing evidence that listening to music can also help stimulate seemingly lost memories and even help restore some cognitive function.” As neuroscientists begin to understand how that happens, “they are starting to work hand in hand with music therapists to develop new therapeutic programs.”
Do Antiquities Really Belong To Their Country Of Origin?
“Scientists and curators have generally supported the laws passed in recent decades giving countries ownership of ancient ‘cultural property’ discovered within their borders. But these laws rest on a couple of highly debatable assumptions….”