Kyung Wha Chung made headlines internationally when, during her big London comeback recital, she said to the parents of a coughing child, “Maybe bring her back when she’s older.” She explains herself in a guest column for The Guardian.
Author: Matthew Westphal
Janet Suzman Defends Statement That Theatre Is “A White Invention”
The South African-born actress – a longtime campaigner against racism who had a famous anti-apartheid activist for an aunt – drew some outrage on Monday by saying that theatre is a “European invention and white people go to it. It’s in their DNA.” She clarified her remarks with a call for more work from black and Asian playwrights – and then said “theatre is a pretty white way of spending an evening – and expensive.”
Mysterious Italian Author Reveals – A Little Bit
The novelist known as Elena Ferrante: “I didn’t choose anonymity. The books are signed. Instead, I chose absence. More than 20 years ago, I felt the burden of exposing myself in public, I wanted to detach myself from the finished story; I wanted the books to assert themselves without my patronage.”
Spirits Are Up – And So Are Ticket Sales And Buzz – At Indianapolis Symphony
“Just two years ago, the future of the eight-decades-old orchestra seemed iffy. Cash-strapped and with its musicians and management at odds over a new contract, the ISO board canceled the first two weeks of the 2012-13 season. … Now, fortunes are rebounding. After three consecutive years of shrinking, ticket sales for 2013-14 rose to $7.5 million from $6.4 million the previous year.”
They’ve Already Been Workshopping This Opera, But They’ve Only Now Announced The Composer
“The composer usually is first to come aboard, even in the most unconventional operas. However, the appointment of Opera Philadelphia’s now-in-process ANDY: A Popera composer Dan Visconti was only announced this week – for a piece that has already had public workshop performances by the Philadelphia cabaret group the Bearded Ladies.”
Danish National Chamber Orchestra Will Shut Down After All (The Chili Peppers Didn’t Work)
“Culture Minister Marianne Jelved said on Tuesday that she has signed a new public-service agreement with broadcaster DR that will see the 42-person orchestra shut down as planned. Jelved said that although a majority of parliament was against the closing of the orchestra, politicians were unable to come up with a realistic alternative for funding it.”
What They Protested At La Scala’s Season Opening This Year
There are always protests on opening night: demonstrators see it as an ideal occasion to get their causes in front of TV cameras. This year, Milan was worried enough about violence to bring in 1,000 riot police. And, as it happened, current events had some bearing on what was happening inside the opera house, on the stage.
Orchestra CEO In Calif. Convicted Of Embezzlement, Faces 16 Years
Stephen Jay Carlson, former executive director of the Peninsula Symphony Orchestra in Silicon Valley, faces such a long sentence for a nonviolent offense because of a prior conviction – on a rather lurid charge.
Hackers Send New Message To Sony: Withdraw The Movie!
“‘Stop immediately showing the movie of terrorism which can break the regional peace and cause the War!’ the hacking group said, … apparently referring to The Interview, a Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy about a plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The cyberattack on Sony Pictures has been linked to North Korea by investigators from private companies and government agencies.”
Hackers Demanded Money From Sony Before Launching Cyber Attack
“‘We’ve got great damage by Sony Pictures,’ writes ‘God’sApstls’ in the message that was sent Nov. 21 … ‘The compensation for it, monetary compensation we want. Pay the damage, or Sony Pictures will be bombarded as a whole. You know us very well. We never wait long. You’d better behave wisely.'”