“Alan Hollinghurst – the novelist celebrated for taking the lid off modern gay life in exquisitely graceful prose which won him the Man Booker Prize in 2004 – has another sort of mission: he wants to prove that the 17th-century French tragedian Jean Racine can be made one of us.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Helpmann Awards 2012: Cate Blanchett, DV8, Moby Dick, Outdoor Traviata
Among the top winners of Australia’s annual performing arts prizes were the Australian premiere of Jake Heggie’s opera based on Melville’s novel, DV8 Physical Theatre’s Can We Talk About This?, Syndey Theatre Company’s Gross und Klein (starring Blanchett), and Opera Australia’s staging of La traviata on Sydney Harbour.
Iran, Angry Over Anti-Muhammad Video, Will Boycott Oscars
“Although writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s acclaimed family drama A Separation was named best foreign-language film at February’s Academy Awards ceremony, Iranian officials have opted out of the upcoming Oscar contest … [and has] called on other Muslim countries to boycott the Oscars as well.”
Paul McCreesh Takes Podium At Lisbon’s Top Orchestra
The conductor best-known as founder and director of the Gabrieli Consort and Players “has been appointed principal conductor and artistic advisor of the Lisbon-based Gulbenkian Orchestra from July 2013 on a four-year contract. He succeeds Lawrence Foster, who has spent 11 years in the role.”
Keats Was A Bona Fide Opium Addict, Says New Bio
“John Keats, … a devotee of aesthetic isolation who swooned at the thought of his so-called ‘bright star’ Fanny Brawne and succumbed to TB when he was 25, was an opium addict. The claim is made in a new biography, to be published on Monday, by Prof Nicholas Roe.”
Chicago Symphony, Striking Musicians Reach Quick Deal
“They entered the negotiating room in the Chicago Symphony Association’s lawyer’s office at 2 p.m. Monday, and by about 6:45 p.m. a tentative agreement had been reached in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s first musicians strike in 21 years.”
Strange Drama Behind Broadway’s Rebecca: Did The Mysterious Lead Investor Actually Exist?
“Start with a rich investor unknown to clubby Broadway insiders – a mystery man named Paul Abrams. Go on to the astounding sum he is said to have promised to raise for Rebecca: $4.5 million … Then: Reports in August of his sudden death in Britain of malaria – yet no obituaries, no death notices. A representative for the Abrams estate surfaces … who refuses to speak by phone and uses an e-mail address created just last month.”
Sacramento Ballet Gives Up Live Music For Nutcracker
“In a sign of financially challenging times, the ballet will not hire a live orchestra for the traditional holiday production. Over the past two years the company has run a cumulative $320,000 deficit, said Greg Smith, executive director of the Sacramento Ballet.”
Lincoln Center’s President Departs After Fruitful Decade
Since 2002, Reynold Levy has overseen a massive renovation and redesign of the arts complex’s campus, the raising of $1.3 billion in contributions, developed several new sources of earned income, and maintained (mostly) good relations among Lincoln Center’s 11 contentious resident organizations.
Three JMW Turner Paintings Authenticated In Cardiff
“Three oil paintings deemed fakes and locked away for half a century have been found to be genuine works by landscape artist JMW Turner. The oils were left to the National Museum Wales in 1951 by Gwendoline and Margaret Davies of Llandinam, Powys, but discounted in 1956.”