Author: Matthew Westphal

What Do (And Don’t) We Lose When Companies Dance To Recordings?

“A few of us, though, have been living in such privileged conditions that it is still a shock to realize that live music is negotiable. This shock, I know, is illogical… [Yet you] need to be a regular dancegoer to know quite how much difference a conductor and orchestra can create between the same cast’s performances of the same ballet on Wednesday and on Thursday. Where there is taped music, sooner or later you’re likely to see taped dancing.”

Even In Opera, There Are No Small Roles, Only Small Actors

‘[P]erhaps it’s time opera stopped digging those trenches between the ‘money roles’ – think anyone involved in the main love affair, or in planning its imminent passing – and the rest, a motley crew that are variously covered by labels including ‘comprimario’, ‘character role’ or simply ‘cameo’. Rarely remembered, they are rarely well cast.”

Rosenberg Details Claims Against Cleveland Orchestra and Newspaper

Cleveland Plain Dealer critic Donald Rosenberg has detailed some of the allegations in his lawsuit against the paper and the Cleveland Orchestra. He says he was exiled “to a tiny room to write his deadline reviews after being falsely accused of having gone through the public relations director’s papers… barred from rehearsals, backstage, tour parties, the players’ bus and interviewing the conductor.” (The orchestra’s attorney has some strong words of his own.)

Uproar In Italy Over Cuts To Brokeback Mountain

“Italian state television cut a gay sex scene from Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, as well as a sequence showing the lead characters kissing when it aired the movie, drawing allegations of censorship from gay rights groups… Activists protested that RAI TV would never have dropped similar scenes had they involved a heterosexual couple, and politicians called for the incident to be discussed in parliament.”

Being Daniel Barenboim Only Gets You So Far

Sure, he can conduct Tristan at the Met and name his own date for playing Carnegie Hall. (He chose today, Elliott Carter’s 100th birthday.) But even he gets taken for a ride by a NY cabbie, finds that some backstage ticket staff don’t recognize his name, and is made to hobble around the block on a gout-ridden leg because a security guard has to follow the rules.

The Top Ten Books To Impress Women

“A survey commissioned by the National Year of Reading has found the top 10 reads to impress a woman. Top of the list is Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom. If you also drop in that you adore Shakespeare, poetry, and cookery books; are never off current affairs websites; and – sorry readers – that you take the Financial Times, then there may be queues.”

Chilean Cardinal Praises Pinochet, States The Obvious About Madonna

Retired cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez interrupted his homily in honor of the late dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet yesterday to rail against the pop star, who is currently making her first appearances in Chile. “This woman comes here and in an incredibly shameless manner, she provokes a crazy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm of lust, lustful thoughts, impure thoughts.”