Matthew Westphal – Page 1402 – ArtsJournal Wayback

Maralin Niska, 89, Beloved Star At New York City Opera

“[Her] mesmerizing stage presence and command of dozens of roles made her a mainstay of [the company] in the 1960s and ’70s … [She] had a dark, supple, powerful voice, … but it was her dramatic gifts and movie-star looks – The Daily News of New York once said she resembled ‘Ava Gardner of the love goddess years’ – that earned her a special place in the hearts of opera fans.”

The Ugly Court Battle Over An Art-Dealing Dynasty’s Half-Billion-Dollar Tax Bill

“Over recent weeks in hushed New York dining rooms and private Parisian salons, Guy Wildenstein has been a walking object lesson in how billionaire dynasties decline.”

New Evidence In Case Of Three Picassos Stolen From His Stepdaughter

“Art dealer Olivier Thomas has been placed under investigation once again as new evidence has emerged in the ongoing investigation into stolen Picasso paintings. Last year, Picasso’s stepdaughter Catherine Hutin-Blay accused the dealer … of stealing three works from her.”

Baltimore Symphony Cuts Administrative Jobs

“Four of the [eliminated] jobs were in the marketing department, and a fifth was cut from the education department, symphony spokeswoman Julia Kirchhausen confirmed in an email.”

Tony-Winning Director Pulls His ‘Hamlet’, And Its Star, From Company

“It seemed to be a coup for Theater for a New Audience: Its first summer Shakespeare production would be Hamlet, with the much-lauded Tony-winning director Sam Gold at the helm, and the rising Hollywood star Oscar Isaac in the title role. … [But] last month Mr. Gold, citing insurmountable artistic differences, backed out and took the play – and Mr. Isaac – to the Public Theater.”

Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk Has A Manifesto For Museums: Think Small (And Avoid Governments)

“The aim of the great state-sponsored museums is to represent a state and that is neither a good nor innocent aim. … It is imperative that museums become smaller, more orientated towards the individual and more economical. This is the only way that they can ever tell stories on a human scale. The great museums invite us to forget our humanity and to accept the state and its human masses. This is why there are millions, outside the West, who are frightened by museums. This is why museums are associated with governments.”

60 Students Sue University Of Sydney Over Planned Art School Merger

“Up to 60 students are pursuing the University of Sydney for ‘deceptive conduct- after it announced plans to merge its Sydney College of the Arts with the faculty of art and design at cross-town rival the University of [New South Wales].”

Marie Chouinard Named Director Of Dance At Venice Biennale

“The Quebec City-born artist has been involved with the Biennale since it first launched a dance section in 1999, participating in the initial edition and invited back several times over the years.”

Leon Botstein Accepts New Position At Grafenegg Festival

“Austria’s Grafenegg Festival, now approaching its tenth year as a destination summer event, with preliminary events beginning July 16, has appointed Leon Botstein as artistic director of the Grafenegg Campus and Academy, effective in 2018. The position is a new one, not to be confused with artistic director of the festival itself; that is Rudolf Buchbinder, in the job since the event’s beginnings in 2007.”

Author: Matthew Westphal