“[A] new irritant has emerged that is stirring nationalist sentiment in both countries: ownership of a graceful hand position that is part of traditional dance and shadow plays.” The gesture is called the jeeb: “the thumb touches the index finger and the three other fingers are fanned out.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
TC Boyle: ‘I Don’t Give Talks. I Perform.’
“Talking about his latest short story collection, When the Killing’s Done, [the] American writer … explains how he woos his audiences and the significance of islands in his fiction.”
Naked Male Poets, Art Photographers And Diabetes
“Ever since Wordsworth launched English Romanticism with the publication of Lyrical Ballads, the wilds of the Lake District have been synonymous with poets baring their souls. But this weekend an assortment of male poets were persuaded to bare a little more for a charity calendar shot amongst the ‘vales and hills’.”
Apple And Major Publishers Sued Over E-Book ‘Price Fixing’
“‘Terrified’ by Amazon’s Kindle e-reader and discounted e-book pricing, five major publishers allegedly acted together to increase e-book prices and compel Amazon to abandon its discount sales strategy. That’s the gist of a new class action antitrust lawsuit filed in the US District Court [in California]”.
Director Of Revamped Porgy And Bess Issues (Non-)Response To Sondheim
“Asked to respond to Stephen Sondheim’s blistering critique of the planned revamp of Porgy and Bess at the American Repertory Theater,” director Diane Paulus issued a one-sentence statement. (Lots of other people have weighed in, however.)
Actor John Wood Dead At 81
“[He] was one of the greatest stage actors of the past century, especially associated with his roles in the plays of Tom Stoppard. But a combination of his enigmatic privacy and low profile on film – he cropped up a lot without dominating a movie – meant that he remained largely unknown to the wider public.”
Musicians’ Pension Fund Wants Bankrupt Louisville Orchestra Liquidated
“A musicians’ pension fund claims the Louisville Orchestra owes it more than $3 million and wants a judge to shut down the orchestra and sell its assets to pay debts.”
Looking At The New September 11 Memorial
“The rebuilding effort at the World Trade Center site has been marked by enough grandstanding, backbiting and power grabs, among politicians and designers alike, to push even the most dedicated optimist toward utter cynicism. At its core, though, the memorial … has managed to preserve at least a kernel of genuine and affecting meaning.”
Controversial Cover Art For Steve Reich’s WTC 9/11 Album Dropped
The composer “doesn’t apologize for the initial image choice” – a darkened, yellowed photo of the twin towers, the North Tower burning as the second plane barrels toward the South Tower – “he simply notes that it didn’t have quite the effect he intended.”
Police Investigate Indianapolis-Area’s New Arts Center After CEO’s Sudden Departure
“City officials hired private investigators to investigate Steven Libman, president and chief executive of The Center for the Performing Arts before his abrupt departure last month,” only two months into a five-year contract extension.