“New York City Opera, created 70 years ago as the ‘people’s opera,’ expects to file for bankruptcy protection on Oct. 2 and either liquidate in court or be sold to another institution, its lawyer said.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Michael Bloomberg Will Not Be Rescuing New York City Opera
The Mayor “said that as he understands it, the company has been unable to attract the kind of money it needs [and that] ‘the business model doesn’t seem to be working.’ But he added that ‘city government can’t go and support all of the arts institutions … My foundation’s made up for some of it, but we have lots of other things to do, too, and we can’t just do it ourselves’.”
No, Kickstarter Could Not Have Saved New York City Opera
“For a local arts institution, large and important itself, Kickstarter cannot replace – Kickstarter can barely even supplement – local philanthropy, a strong endowment, and an economic environment kind to organizations which seek to be ‘of the people’.”
Syrian Artist Released By Government After Two Months’ Imprisonment
“A leading Syrian artist has been released after being held by the Syrian authorities for more than two months. Youssef Abdelke was arrested on 18 July, along with two colleagues, by forces loyal to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, at a checkpoint in Tartous, a southern port city.”
How New York Theaters Find Housing For Visiting Performers (It Isn’t Easy)
“Theater companies and stage productions around the country are often obliged to house actors, directors and others from out of town. In some instances, it is a union obligation. In others, it is just the cost of doing business with a bright star. In New York City, it also means that a life in the arms of the theater can include elbowing around in a fraught and expensive market for real estate.”
Is There An Asian Pompeii Awaiting Discovery?
“One of history’s great disaster mysteries may be solved – the case of the largest volcanic eruption in the last 3,700 years. Nearly 800 years ago, the blast that was recorded, and then forgotten, may also have created a ‘Pompeii of the Far East,’ researchers suggest, which might lie buried and waiting for discovery on an Indonesian island.”
St. Petersburg’s Art Scene Hitting Bottom, Says Hermitage Curator
“St Petersburg’s contemporary art scene is at ‘a low point’, said Dmitri Ozerkov, the head of the State Hermitage Museum’s contemporary art department. … The decline, he said, ‘is connected to the fact that many have left for Moscow, or gone abroad, for various reasons that we won’t discuss now’.”
Edinburgh, Bucking The Trend, Decides Not To Cut Culture Funding
“Edinburgh City Council has proposed that all its cultural grants for 2014/15, including those to its festivals and theatres, will be the same as for the current year. Its recently published consultative budget lists proposed cuts across all sectors, but none in culture. This includes all festivals, such as the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe, as well as the city’s theatres and concert halls.”
Who Are Ballet’s Greatest Partner Pairs?
“Partnerships are very particular to the world of ballet – chemistry between two performers can create a stage presence that’s wonderfully larger than their individual selves. What creates that chemistry is as mysterious as any real-life love affair.”
Erasing Memories: Could Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind Be Coming True?
“The war veteran who recoils at the sound of a car backfiring, and the recovering drug addict who feels a sudden need for their drug of choice when visiting old haunts have one thing in common: Both are victims of their own memories. New research indicates those memories could actually be extinguished.”