“The Italian government announced yesterday, 2 May, that it is allocating €1bn to major restoration and building projects at 33 museums, monuments and archaeological sites across the country, including Pompeii, the earthquake-stricken city of L’Aquila and the Uffizi galleries in Florence.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Fire At Artist’s House Ruins $34 Million Worth Of Art
“The flames engulfed the artist’s personal collection, including one work by Andy Warhol, and some of her own sculptural works, which were stored in the basement.”
How Can The Met Opera Fill All Its Empty Seats? Here Are Some Ideas
“Channeling their inner impresarios, critics and reporters for The New York Times engaged in a little operatic spitballing, throwing out ideas – including some that the Met is experimenting with and others it might find off the wall – that could help fill the house again.”
William Forsythe Begins Five-Year Partnership With Boston Ballet
The company and the choreographer have “an agreement to add one work each year, as well as performing the four ballets already in the company repertory. The first acquisition is Mr. Forsythe’s full-length Artifact, which will be performed [next winter].”
Teenagers Leave Paint Splashed All Over 1,300-Year-Old Monument
“Youths on their Passover vacation vandalized the archeological site Ashdod-Yam citadel … with paints on Tuesday as part of a ‘color party.’ At their festivities, they threw paint over each other and the site” – and, of course, posted photos of it all on social media so they could get busted.
Conductor Retires After 63 Years With His Orchestra
Steve Lopez: “Alvin Mills is 94. Two conductor’s batons rest on the tray of his walker, within arm’s reach. He might drop or misplace one – you never know – and it’s good to have a backup.”
21 Lucky Performing Artists Win $275,000 Each From Doris Duke
The winners of the 2016 Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards – given for dance, theater, and jazz – include well-established artists such as Mark Morris, Lynn Nottage, Fred Hersch as well as less-familiar names (for now) such as Aparna Ramaswamy, Jen Shyu, and Sharon Bridgforth.
Ulay (The Former Mr. Marina Abramovic) Brings His Performance Art Back To New York After 30 Years
Cutting Through the Clouds of Myth, a collaboration withthe Slovenian multidisciplinary artist Jaša, “is one of Ulay’s first reengagements with performance after a battle with cancer. … ‘At one point I got a sort of calling, an inner voice, to reenter performance art again,’ [he said].”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 05.04.16
Looking Back at Cuba
So much is being made of the U.S.-Cuba rapprochement and the arrival in Havana of cruise ships filled with tourists that I took a look at an old series of mine, part reportage and part … read more
AJBlog: Straight|Up Published 2016-05-04
Looking Back at Cuba (continued)
Now you can fly to Havana direct from the U.S. without having to be part of a licensed group. You can even use credit cards in places equipped to handle them. Of course… … read more
AJBlog: Straight|Up Published 2016-05-04
Weekend Listening: Bill Holman & The SRJO
Just three weeks after Bill Holman conducted the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra in three concerts of his works, this Sunday Jim Wilke’s Jazz Northwest will broadcast portions of the final concert. Here are details … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2016-05-04
The Most Under-Rated Composer?
Who is the most under-rated 20th century American composer? … read more
AJBlog: Unanswered Question Published 2016-05-04
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Why We Hate Hearing Recordings Of Our Own Voices
“You listen to yourself all day long. Why would a recording of your voice make you feel uncomfortable? The unfamiliarity is quite literally all in your head, although you’re not imagining things.”