“Julie Kent, one of the most celebrated American ballerinas of her generation, who retired from the stage last summer after a 29-year career at American Ballet Theatre, has been appointed the Washington Ballet’s new artistic director, the company announced Monday.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
When Shakespeare’s Father Saved Paintings From Henry VIII
“William Shakespeare’s father has been credited with saving priceless paintings that were hidden in an historic chapel in Stratford-upon-Avon. John Shakespeare was Bailiff of the town during the Reformation under King Henry VIII, and was ordered to remove them from the Guild Chapel.” (video)
The Cross-Dressing Nobleman Who May Have Been Shakespeare’s Lover
“Little is known about the pair’s friendship, but it has been speculated that they had an affair during 1592 and 1593, when Shakespeare left a plague-ravaged London and began writing longform poetry and sonnets.”
China Bans Depictions Of Gay People On TV And Web Video
“Chinese censors have released new regulations for content that ‘exaggerates the dark side of society’ and now deem homosexuality, extramarital affairs, one night stands and underage relationships as illegal on screen. Last week the Chinese government pulled a popular drama, Addicted, from being streamed on Chinese websites as it follows two men in gay relationships, causing uproar among the show’s millions of viewers.” – The Guardian
What I Wish I’d Read As A Gay Teenager
“We asked some of today’s most powerful voices in LGBTQ literature to create a list of books they wanted to read as teens. While there are some recurring titles – who hasn’t had their world rocked by Audre Lorde? – most of the books are quite different from one another.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 03.07.16
What is failure?
What is failure? How do you define it? Is it really the worst thing that can happen? Does fear of failure prevent you from innovation and opportunity? … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-03-07
10 Reasons We Fail
There are a myriad of reasons that we fail, from plain bad luck to miscommunication or organizational shortcomings. In this article, entrepreneur Caroline Cummings, offers a set of ten reasons why … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-03-07
Fail Better
Best selling author Seth Godin shares what we all know to be true: we all fail. So, how do we make the most of it? … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-03-07
The Story Behind Toy Story
Why are Pixar’s movies such a huge success? Creative successes might be more related to failure than you think. … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-03-07
Art Museums as Shakedown Artists: NY Times Front-Page Report on Dealers’ Support for Exhibitions
If museum exhibitions of contemporary art are increasingly looking like extensions of the commercial gallery system, it’s because they are. Those who have paid attention to the funding credits for museums’ contemporary shows during … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2016-03-07
Monday Recommendation: Laurence Hobgood
Laurence Hobgood, Honor Thy Fathers (Hobgood.com) It’s not that Laurence Hobgood was buried during his 18 years as Kurt Elling’s musical director. Indeed, he was one of the most admired supporting pianists in modern music. … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2016-03-07
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Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Great Pioneer Of The Period-Instrument Revival, Dead At 86
“In 1953, he founded the Concentus Musicus Wien as a platform for his work on Renaissance and baroque music, using period instruments – many of which he had to buy at his own expense – to counteract ‘stultifying, aesthetically sanitized music-making.'” The group went on to make history with recordings of Bach’s complete sacred works and a legendary cycle of Monteverdi’s operas. Despite controversy over some musical quirks, Harnoncourt went on to become one of the most influential conductors of the late 20th century.
Pat Conroy, 70, Author Of ‘The Great Santini’ and ‘The Prince Of Tides’
“‘I was never going to be a part of any minimalist trend,’ he told the Baltimore Sun in 2010. ‘My own overripe, pretentious prose style has been with me since the beginning. That is my personality. I cannot change these things.'”
Being Irrational Is Good (Sometimes), Says Study
“We know people aren’t great at making choices, and sometimes the choices we do make are downright weird. (See: politics.) Well, take heart, fellow humans: It’s actually pretty common to make odd, irrational decisions – and, according to a new study, it might even be for the best.”
Chinese Censors Get Serious About Online Television
“The authorities in China are tightening their grip on the country’s booming online television industry after officials from the top broadcast regulator said last week that programs would soon be subject to the same censorship as regular TV shows.”