“Their country is less than nine months old and still coping with the aftermath of decades of war, widespread poverty and an education system badly in need of repair, with around 80% of the population illiterate. But a theatre company from South Sudan wants to show a different side of the country when it participates in the World Shakespeare festival at the Globe theatre in London.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
North Korean Orchestra May Tour U.S.
“A humanitarian group is working to bring the National Symphony Orchestra of North Korea on a tour of the United States – with the full blessing of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, one of the most repressive countries in the world.”
Human Rights In Facebookistan
“Sovereignty and power are shifting. Before the internet, these notions were controlled by nation states. But companies like Facebook are the sovereigns of cyberspace. Facebook exercises power by shaping the way you interact with the world … [but it is] setting rules that are ultimately based on commercial considerations, not on the rights and civil liberties of users.”
What Is It About Communism And Red?
The Red Army. Red China. “Red-diaper babies”. The “Red Menace”. The Red Detachment of Women. The national flags of the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China. How did this one color become so associated with Communism? Slate‘s Explainer explains.
Thanks To X-Rays, Van Gogh Canvas Is Re-Authenticated
“A still life once thought to be by Vincent van Gogh but later downgraded to the work of an anonymous artist because of doubts about its authenticity is indeed by the tormented Dutch impressionist, researchers said Tuesday.”
Bulgarian Ballet Student Dies After Philadelphia Hit-And-Run
“[Polina] Kadiyska, 22, died today from injuries she received after being run down Sunday by a drunk, teenage driver” on Broad Street in South Philadelphia.
Yonah Acosta Comes Out From The Shadow Of Superstar Uncle Carlos
The 22-year-old Cuban, who joined English National Ballet last year, says, “Of course I’m proud to be his nephew, but it is difficult because when I dance often people don’t even call me by my name. It’s not, ‘There’s Yonah’; it’s, ‘There’s the nephew of Carlos Acosta.'”
‘Crush The Working Class,’ Says Maggie Thatcher In Russian Iron Lady
“The pirated Russian translation of the film, voiced over in a monotone by one man, depicts Thatcher as a bloodthirsty, Hitler-admiring leader, whose fondest desire is to destroy the working class. While some of her critics might say this is an accurate representation of her plans, even her fiercest enemy would concede the Russian version takes it too far.”
Abel Gance’s Napoleon, Restored To Its Full Length And Lustre
Since its 1927 premiere, the extraordinary, innovative silent film epic has survived mostly in heavily cut and simplified versions. Now historian Kevin Brownlow’s 5½-hour restoration is making its US debut, with a full orchestral score from 1980 that has never been heard here.
Director/Composer Heiner Goebbels Wins $430K Ibsen Award
“German composer and director Heiner Goebbels has won the 2.5 million kroner ($430,000) International Ibsen Award for his contribution to theatre. … He was hailed by the jury as ‘one of the great creative personalities of today’ and singled out for particular praise for his innovative use of music.”