“Antiquities professor Abdel Fatah al-Banna, who was announced as Egypt’s new minister of antiquities has been removed from the list of the new Cabinet members as worries over his character surfaced.” Banna was to replace the famous and controversial Zahi Hawass, who was fired (for the second time) over the weekend.
Author: Matthew Westphal
Has Theatre Really Achieved Equality For Women?
Krystina Nellis: “[We] seem content to parade a few ‘success stories’ as examples of how all-inclusive the arts are … Surely the real goal should be supporting women to stay in the industry for longer than a few years, therefore at least partially addressing the frankly ludicrous turnover in the process?”
Baritone Cornell MacNeil, 88
“[He] was considered the equal of Leonard Warren and Robert Merrill, the other stellar American Verdi baritones during the second half of the 20th century. From 1959 to 1987, he sang 26 roles in more than 600 appearances at the Metropolitan Opera alone.”
Does Leaving Lincoln Center Jeopardize NY City Opera’s Endowment?
“The beleaguered New York City Opera may be facing a new hurdle: questions” – raised by the company’s unions – “about whether its move from Lincoln Center would place much of the company’s dwindling endowment at risk.”
Joffrey Ballet Ends Lockout, Reaches Agreement With Dancers
“The dancers of the Joffrey Ballet and the company’s management have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The dancers are expected to officially ratify the new deal next week, and the company’s fall season … will be presented at the Auditorium Theatre in October as planned.”
The Flaws That Evolved In Our Brains
Neuroscientist Dean Buonomano: “[H]umans suffer … consequences of living in a time and place we didn’t evolve to live in. … And by peering into the brain, we can learn a lot about why we are good at some things and why we are not very good at others.”
‘Monday Blues’ Are A Myth, Says Study
“U.S. residents have roughly the same levels of happiness, enjoyment, and laughter–not to mention worry, sadness and anger–from Monday through Friday. The real difference lies between weekdays and weekends.”
Judge Squashes Hopes Of Brooklyn Waterfront Home For St. Ann’s Warehouse
“In a blow to St. Ann’s Warehouse, a widely admired theater in Brooklyn, a judge has issued a ruling that essentially nullifies a set of decisions by the federal, state and city governments over the last several years that led to approval of a new home for the theater.”
Owning A Pet Leads To Higher Self-Esteem (Some Of Us Knew This)
“Most studies looking at the psychological effects of pet ownership focus on individuals experiencing health issues or overcoming hurdles in life such as recovering from an illness or injury. … Overall, researchers found pet ownership to be associated with higher self-esteem, higher levels of fitness and lower reports of loneliness among participants.”
Paul Taylor Co. Takes Some Of NY City Opera’s Dates At Lincoln Center
“The corpse is still warm, and already they are dancing past it. The Paul Taylor Dance Company said on Thursday that it would move three weeks of performances in the spring to the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, filling part of the gap left by the departing New York City Opera.”