SGAE, the Spanish equivalent of ASCAP in the US, “was plunged into chaos when police raided the headquarters and arrested nine of its leaders on embezzlement charges.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
What It Takes To Be A Dance Company’s Artistic Director
“A true depiction of today’s artistic director would be that of a multi-tasking, over-worked and driven man or woman, often imprisoned in tedious meetings when they yearn to be in the studio, always juggling dozens of demands and sudden emergencies.”
Spain Gives Culture Ministry Supervision Of Bullfighting
“Having always come under the remit of the Interior Ministry, bullfighting is now to be the responsibility of the Culture Ministry, the cabinet decided last Friday.”
Mary Poppins Dominates Australia’s Helpmann Awards
“The lavishly produced Walt Disney musical won eight of the 12 categories it was nominated in, including best musical, best musical direction, … best choreography, best sound design and best direction” as well as best lead actor and actress in a musical.
Geoffrey Rush Finally Wins His Homeland’s Top Stage Award
“[He] has a Tony, an Oscar, a BAFTA, several AFI awards and has often lamented his failure to nab a Logie. But while television’s top prize remains elusive, he was inducted into the ranks of [Australia’s] elite performing artists last night with his first Helpmann Award.”
Brisbane Rules Helpmann Awards Dance Categories
“An original ballet staged in a haunted Queenslander beat out acclaimed works from Victoria and Europe to claim the 2011 Helpmann Award for best dance work, presented in a glittering ceremony at the Sydney Opera House last night.”
Should Helpmann Awards Have Australian Artists Competing With Tours From Overseas?
With the mighty Berlin Philharmonic and Simon Rattle beating all locals in the classical category, and international star choreographers Akram Khan and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui up against Australian artists, some Australian observers argue that the Helpmann Awards should have a separate category for touring foreign performers.
The Guy With the Noisy Ventilator At The Symphony – He Could Be You
The classical music editor of The New York Times writes of listening to a concert while sitting near a concertgoer with a clacking medical device, and – as a cardiac patient himself – considers the balance between making performances accessible to everyone and not allowing noise to disturb other audience members.
The Beer Archaeologist
Patrick McGovern analyzes the traces of residue left on various ancient vessels for brewing and drinking beer. Then he reconstitutes the recipes and has brewers use them to recreate the brews of antiquity.
Dancing Helps People With Problem-Solving, Even Neurological Function
Peter Lovatt, head of the Dance Psychology Lab at the University of Hertfordshire, talks about findings that dance can improve divergent thinking (in trying to solve complex problems) and can improve the condition of Parkinson’s disease patients. (He also found that girls studying classical ballet have lower self-esteem.)