Marina Harss writes about Jessica Lang teaching principles of dance composition to participants — all socially isolating at home — in David Hallberg’s ABT Incubator program. – Dance Magazine
Author: Matthew Westphal
Rio Lights Up Christ The Redeemer Statue To Honor Healthcare Workers Treating Coronavirus
“The striking scene included messages of thanks in many languages, along with images of nurses and doctors smiling in protective gear. The word ‘hope’ was also projected onto the statue, along with the Portuguese phrase Fique Em Casa or ‘Stay at Home’.” – NPR
Disney-On-Broadway Coronavirus Benefit On Again After Musicians’ Union Relents
A benefit concert from last November, in which 79 stage performers did songs from Disney musicals, was going to be streamed online to benefit the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund — until, less than a day ahead of time, the international president of the American Federation of Musicians demanded that the pit band be paid extra for streaming rights. (Equity and SAG-AFTRA had waived such payments.) On Sunday, the musicians involved, backed by the union’s New York local, said publicly that they didn’t want the additional money; in less than 24 hours, the AFM president changed his position. – The New York Times
Avignon Festival, One Of Europe’s Largest Theatre Events, Cancelled
Organizers called off the festival, scheduled for July 3-23, within minutes of an announcement by France’s President Macron that, because of the COVID epidemic, it would be unsafe to hold major summer events until at least mid-July. – France 24
Quibi Sees 1.7 Million Downloads In Its First Week
“The 1.7 million figure that [CEO Meg] Whitman cited does not indicate how many people signed up for the app, which is offering an extended 90-day free trial. Once the trial ends, Quibi … which offers shortform episodic programming … designed to be viewed on the go … will cost $5 with advertising and $8 without advertising.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Indie Bookstores In Crisis Turn To GoFundMe, But Site Won’t Turn Over Contributed Money
“High-profile booksellers seeking recourse have flocked to the platform. … Yet a number of the stores that were among the first to launch successful campaigns in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic are complaining that, to date, GoFundMe has not released the funds promised them. While some of the bookstores PW contacted declined to go on the record, others are going public.” – Publishers Weekly
Metropolitan Opera Plans A Gala For The Quarantine Age
“The ‘At Home Gala’ the company is planning for Saturday, April 25, … will feature more than 40 artists, including stars like Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann and Renée Fleming, performing from their homes and streamed on the company’s website, metopera.org.” – The New York Times
Even Burning Man Has Been Canceled
The giant annual alterna-conclave doesn’t take place until the end of August, but even so, “the organizers of Burning Man announced on Friday that they will not be assembling 80,000 people in the Nevada desert this summer to build giant works of art and then set them on fire.” – The Guardian
Pollock’s Guest Appearance in the Metropolitan Museum’s Subdued 150th-Birthday Video
If you’ve already seen the Max-&-Dan video that the Met posted today to mark this unexpectedly somber occasion, you may have wondered about the identity of the head peering over Director Max Hollein‘s left shoulder. – Lee Rosenbaum
From a Diary …
I’ve been skimming through a complete collection of Chekhov’s stories. There’s lotsa chaff — small anecdotes published in newspapers from early days that don’t do much and weren’t intended for the ages. But then you come upon “an unpleasantness,” a long story from a later period that stands up like an erection. – Jan Herman