The Indian conductor’s performance with the Bavarian State Orchestra at the Shalimar Gardens may have been intended to bring the balm of (Western) classical music to the conflict-torn state, but locals ended up alienated by heavy-handed security, the musicians felt lied to about the nature of the event, and one man had been shot and wounded by police nearby.
Author: Matthew Westphal
The Invention Of Grandparents, And How They Changed The World
“The fundamental structure of human populations has changed exactly twice in evolutionary history. The second time was in the past 150 years, when the average lifespan doubled in most parts of the world. The first time was in the Paleolithic, probably around 30,000 years ago. That’s when old people were basically invented.” (And “old” means over 30.)
Harvey Fierstein Finally Has A New Play Of His Own
“Harvey Fierstein, who won Tony Awards for best play and best actor in 1983 for his landmark gay drama, Torch Song Trilogy, but has mostly written musical scripts since then, has a new play coming to Broadway for the first time in nearly 30 years.”
So How Good Is That New Van Gogh, Really?
Christopher Knight: “Of course I’ve only seen the 1888 painting in photographs, where it appears to be blandly pretty. … It’s also useful to be reminded that even the greatest artist doesn’t always perform at his peak. … I’m also happy to defer to the artist, who seems to have been less than thrilled with the results himself.”
Ballet’s Color Problem, As Seen By A Royal Ballet Member
Eric Underwood: “In a corps de ballet, especially for women, the idea is to be identical: you’re trying to move the same and not call attention to yourself. For someone who isn’t white, that’s difficult. You’re left with a choice: you have to either become so great a dancer that you’re not left in a chorus or a line, or embrace your beauty and hope others do, too.”
Stéphane Lissner To Take Over Paris Opera A Year Early
Lissner, currently superintendent of La Scala, will be taking the reins of the Opéra National de Paris next August, one year before his contract had originally stipulated. Outgoing director Nicolas Joël decided to step down in the wake of budget cuts.
Meet Morocco’s Only Out Gay Novelist And Filmmaker
Abdellah Taia, now 40, emigrated to Paris in his mid-20s, but his work is rooted in his homeland, and his newly-released film, Salvation Army, was set and filmed there. He talks about how conditions are improving – slowly – for gays in Morocco, and about his own feeling toward Islam and Muslim civilization.
How To Win A Bet On The Booker Prize (It’s Not By Reading The Books)
“‘The most important thing to be aware of,’ says Alex Donohue of the Ladbrokes betting house, ‘is critical reception.’ Reading a Booker nominee, in other words, won’t get you nearly as far as paying attention to the reactions of other people who do.”
Can Acting – Learning Lines – Help Seniors Retain Cognitive Function?
Short answer: Maybe. Longer answer: Experts disagree (of course), and not all cognitive skills are transferable. Final answer (so far): It may not help you remember to take your pills, but it’s much, much better than not doing anything.
Being Broke Can Make You A Better Actor, Says Anna Deavere Smith
In a Creative Breakthroughs interview for The Atlantic, she says that she developed her ability to impersonate multiple characters because she couldn’t afford to hire other actors.