Author: Matthew Westphal

France’s First Professional Theatre Performance Since The COVID Shutdown (It Wasn’t In A Theatre)

“Last week in [a small] city in eastern France, the residents and staff of a nursing home watched from a safe distance — some from windows and balconies — as five actors appeared in the building’s courtyard in front of a makeshift red curtain” to perform Cabaret sous les balcons (“Cabaret Under the Balconies”). “While most live events in Europe and the United States remain on forced hiatus, the relief of the cast was palpable as they performed.” – The New York Times

Is This The First-Ever Virtual Ballet Competition?

“After weeks of planning, registration is now underway for the UBC Virtual Competition Experience, which will run from June 12–14. The competition is two-fold: Participants will submit videos to be played during the livestream and judged, and they will have the chance to participate in master classes via Zoom, and receive comments and corrections in real time.” – Pointe Magazine

Why Buy The Cow When The Milk Is Free? Performing Arts Companies, Don’t Do What Newspapers Did

“There’s a long-running adage about working for free in the performing arts. ‘The problem with working for exposure,’ it goes, ‘is you can die from exposure’.” With arts companies all over the world pouring free content onto the web as their venues are closed during the pandemic, creative industries scholar Caitlin Vincent issues a warning. – The Conversation

Minneapolis’s Walker Art Center Becomes First Major U.S. Museum To Stop Contracting Police For Events

“In an Instagram statement that explicitly mentioned the Black Lives Matter movement and Floyd’s death, the museum wrote, ‘The Walker will no longer contract the services of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) for special events until the MPD implements meaningful change by demilitarizing training programs, holding officers accountable for the use of excessive force, and treating communities of color with dignity and respect. Enough is enough.'” – ARTnews

Cannes Festival Announces The 2020 Roster Of Films It’s Sending To Other Festivals

“Artistic director Thierry Frémaux picked a total of 56 films for the Cannes 2020 selection, many of which had planned to premiere on the Croisette. Instead, they will now screen at different partner festivals around the world. The titles will be gathered together in a single list, not split up into the traditional festival categories of competition, Un Certain Regard, out of competition, Midnight Screenings, and special screenings. There is no competition, no jury and no prizes will be awarded.” – The Hollywood Reporter

London’s Royal Opera And Royal Ballet Return To Live Performance

It’ll be to an empty house, though; social distancing isn’t over yet. The Live from Covent Garden series, streamed over the Royal Opera House’s YouTube and Facebook pages, begins on June 13 with a program including a brand-new dance by Royal Ballet resident choreographer Wayne McGregor and music by Handel, Britten, Butterworth and Turnage sung by Royal Opera soloists Louise Alder, Toby Spence, and Gerald Finley. – London Evening Standard

Elsa Dorfman, Who Took Two-Foot Polaroids With A 200-Pound Camera, Dead At 83

“[She] first became known in Cambridge when she started selling her photos in a pushcart in Harvard Square. When police tried to chase her away, [her husband], a civil rights attorney, successfully argued that photographs are not ordinary merchandise that required a peddler’s license but were an intellectual product protected by the First Amendment. … Far from a pushcart, at the height of her career a 20-by-24 inch Polaroid portrait by Dorfman cost thousands of dollars.” – WBUR (Boston)