“The Charlotte Symphony’s work to overcome its financial troubles became more urgent and more difficult today when the [Charlotte-Mecklenburg] Arts & Science Council cut more than $1 million from its support to the orchestra – and said the orchestra won’t even get the reduced amount unless it delivers a restructuring plan the ASC deems viable.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Adrien Brody Tries Not To Get Recognized In Central Park
“He’s ‘all hooded up’: black sweatshirt, black cashmere sweater, and black baseball cap. Of course, there’s really no hiding the hooked nose and green eyes, and one suspects total anonymity is never an actor’s endgame anyway. The question is how much time remains before this particular jig is up.”
The (Welcome) Return Of The Tall Ceiling
Witold Rybczynski: “Certain features are taken for granted in today’s residential market: granite countertops, glass-walled showers, and, judging from this recent ad for a new Upper West Side condo, very tall ceilings. Not so long ago, 8-foot ceilings were the norm. What changed?”
The 15-Second Film Festival
“Peter Johnston wants to alert the world to what he believes is the antidote to the bloated, self-indulgent arthouse movie: the 15-second film. He has commissioned or made 62 of these nano-films for his online gallery, 15 Second Film Festival.”
Rebecca, The Musical
“Christopher Hampton, whose play The Philanthropist and translation of God of Carnage are now on Broadway, has signed on to write the English-language adaptation of the book for the musical Rebecca, based on the Daphne Du Maurier novel.” Following a tryout in Toronto, runs in London and New York are planned.
Are We On The Threshold Of Brave New World?
“We are on the brink of technological breakthroughs that could augment our mental powers beyond recognition. It will soon be possible to boost human brainpower with electronic ‘plug-ins’ or even by genetic enhancement. What will this mean for the future of humanity? … Would it widen the gulf between the world’s haves and have-nots – and perhaps even lead to a distinct and dominant species with unmatchable powers of intellect?”
JVC Jazz Festival Cancelled
“[F]or the first time in 37 years, there will be no major summer jazz festival in New York. Nor will there be related series in Miami or Chicago, as the concert company behind them is suffering a financial crisis.” Is it the fault of JVC for withdrawing sponsorship, or of a new impresario who expanded too fast?
Gabriel García Márquez Has ‘Mythomania’ (And That’s OK)
Sure, the standard-bearer of Latin American magic realism has, in the retelling, exaggerated mythologized any number of incidents from his own life. But “[j]ust because the miracle didn’t happen as the nifty story says it did doesn’t mean there wasn’t a miracle.”
The Cliburn Tries To Fix (Some Of) What’s Wrong With Competitions
We’ve all heard the usual complaints about competitions: they reward safe, boring playing over artistic daring; they thrust talented youngsters onto the concert treadmill too early; it’s ridiculous to rank the first prize winner over the runner-up on the basis of a single performance or two; etc. The Van Cliburn, the most visible of today’s piano competitions, has considered these issues and made some changes.
Wiki-ing Translations On The Web
“Machine translations give workable renderings of basic texts, but complicated ideas or phrasings can trip up even the most sophisticated software, particularly in non-Romance languages. And when it comes to nuance, ‘machine translation just won’t get you there,’ … People worldwide are stepping up to provide that nuance, free of charge.”