“Six medieval stained-glass windowpanes looted by the Red Army during World War II were returned to a German church Monday, where officials said they hoped to negotiate the return of other plundered artworks.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Divine Revelation And Linguistics
A recently discovered inscription dating from 644AD, the oldest ever found in Arabic, isn’t much more than graffiti. But it has potentially serious implications for the study of Islam. Why? It all comes down to diacritical marks.
Warsaw Ghetto – The Musical!
“In Imagine This, a new musical about the Holocaust, a group of actors in the Warsaw ghetto stage a play. The play is about a community of Jews in Masada who, in AD73, are surrounded by the Roman army and, rather than surrender, choose to kill themselves en masse.”
Obama Doc Draws Strong Interest From Industry
“A documentary, more than two years in the making, about President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign is gathering significant interest from international distributors just days after being picked up in the United States by HBO.”
Could Obama’s Election Be Good for Country Music?
Wait – wasn’t much of the country music world (and its fans) behind John McCain? Sure – “The GOP and Nashville hitched themselves to each other as far back as the Nixon years.” But, says David Browne, as country ruled the charts through the years of conservative political dominance, Nashville churned out “too many Southern-adult-contemporary ballads and obnoxious power chords.” Some time in eclipse might be just what country music needs.
Katharina Wagner Survives Freak Autobahn Incident
“Katharina Wagner, the co-director of the Bayreuth Festival and great-granddaughter of the composer Richard Wagner, was in a car on the German autobahn when the driver died at the wheel.”
Porgy And Bess – It’s Not Just A Show, It’s Sociology
“Gershwin’s tune-laden slice of life in the Charleston slum known as Catfish Row (based on Heyward’s 1925 novel and the subsequent play) did not flinch from confronting issues of race and class. Those issues – grinding poverty, domestic abuse, racist bigotry, crime, drugs and prostitution – remain very much with us today.”
Lego Loses Its Trademark – Does It Matter?
An EU court has upheld a decision to strip the interlocking plastic bricks of trademark status – because how can you trademark a simple brick? “But, does it matter to you and me? Perhaps not. No one will force you to buy [competitor] MEGA Brands’ brick-locking equivalent and Lego is such a big name that it seems unlikely sales will be particularly affected… Children – like adults – often develop loyalties to toy brands.”
What Is (And Isn’t) Michael Kaiser Doing To Save NY City Opera?
The arts world’s Mr. Turnaround, called in by board chair Susan Baker in the wake of the company’s dark season and the loss of Gérard Mortier as artistic director, isn’t taking the helm himself. “I’ve been asked by Susan and the board of the opera to help them write a plan for going forward. It’s very specific… If they asked me [to take over], I’d say no.”
Is The Recession Hurting Reality TV?
Unscripted shows such as Survivor, Deal or No Deal and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? are hemorrhaging viewers. Some of this is overexposure and the age of the shows, but can the plummeting ratings be blamed on the recession? “Well, hard times may not have any direct effect on what people choose to watch. But there’s little doubt that during times of upheaval, viewers’ tastes can shift.”