“[His] voluminous output ranged from the operatic, oratorio and symphonic to choral hymns. His opera The Postman Always Rings Twice, written in 1982 for Opera Theatre of St. Louis, was popular with regional companies and universities.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Memphis Symphony Musicians Agree To 38 Percent Pay Cut
“Memphis Symphony Orchestra musicians on Monday formally agreed to accept a one-year, 38 percent pay cut in an attempt to help the financially struggling performance arts organization reduce expenses as it works toward the goal of balancing its budget.”
Troubled Times Or No, Here’s A New Orchestra Taking Shape And Growing
“With more orchestras declining than thriving, classical music audiences can be forgiven for thinking the brand new Pennsylvania Philharmonic is a mirage.” Especially since it’s performing in towns – Pottstown, York, Bethlehem, and the like – “that can’t always support a professional group.”
Ten Things We Should Change In Classical Concerts
“I often find myself sitting in a concert thinking I would never be here were it not for professional interest. This is a real shame, because to sit down in a concert hall and not do anything else other than listen for two hours is a great and quite radical experience in our lives. But there are many unspoken ‘rules’ and conventions at classical concerts that we often accept quietly and which make the experience of classical concert worse than it should be.”
Drawing The Disappearing Bookstores Of New York
Bob Eckstein offers watercolor-style portraits, with anecdotes, of the likes of Coliseum Books, Scribners, Shakespeare & Co., and Forbidden Planet.
The Aromas Of Books (An Infographic)
A chart explains the chemistry behind the smell of new books – and how it changes as books get old.
Vogue Goes To The Paris Opera Ballet
Benjamin Millepied himself hosts the visit, with no less than Annie Leibovitz taking the pictures.
Orlando’s Arts Center Is Late And Over Budget, But At Least The Lawsuit Is Settled
“Contractor Balfour Beatty Construction and the center’s managers have blamed each other, and now the parties have signed a settlement agreement to avoid legal claims that would likely top $25 million. The agreement settles the dispute by paying Balfour Beatty another $9.5 million.”
The Medium Is Still The Message, Even After 50 Years
“Fifty years ago, Marshall McLuhan published Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. Assessing all media that came before television and predicting all that would come after, he argued that we shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us.” Yet, after half a century, lots of folks who spout the aphorism still know nothing of his work. (audio)
How To Put Your Graffiti Tag On Insanely Expensive Art Without Actually Damaging It
“It’s resourceful, at least: Instead of going straight for the million-dollar works, an especially DGAF graffiti artist used the reflective surface of a Koons piece by spray-painting the white Whitney wall next to it. All the better to selfie with.” (includes video of incident)