When the Swiss conductor, now 61, steps down, he’ll have been at the orchestra’s helm for 13 years. The end of his contract term coincides with that of the musicians’ labor agreement. – The Salt Lake Tribune
Author: Matthew Westphal
Should Rio De Janeiro Commemorate Its History Of Slavery Or Move On From It? No One Seems To Be Able To Decide
“For some, commemorating slavery is a vital part of addressing contemporary injustices. For others, it is a distraction [from those injustices]” and other pressing problems. The debate is playing out (again) over the remains of the wharf where slave ships arrived. – The Economist
After 20 Years, Australian Ballet Artistic Director David McAllister To Step Down
He joined the company in 1983 and grew to become one of its stars, and in 2001 he became the boss. When he departs in 2020, McAllister will have been the longest-serving artistic director in the Australian Ballet’s history. – The Age (Melbourne)
How Walt Disney Concert Hall Changed Both Its Orchestra And Its Neighborhood
Justin Davidson: “In 2003, [Frank] Gehry gave the Los Angeles Philharmonic its new home and showed that, every once in a while, a work of architecture can transform all it touches — in this case, the orchestra, the audience, music itself, the neighborhood, and the city beyond.” – Los Angeles Times
Philanthropy Fail: How Museums Got Hammered at the Major Spring Auctions
“The evening Impressionist/Modern and Contemporary sales at Christie’s this month felt like a bit of a throwback to the old days when more museum-quality works graced the sale catalogues.” – Lee Rosenbaum
A Few Recent Releases
The staff gauged the rate at which the postwoman is depositing new releases in the Rifftides mailbox and decided that we should pick up the pace of telling you about some of them. – Doug Ramsey
Michigan Lawmakers Say There’s A Crisis With The State’s School Libraries
“Michigan ranks 47th in the nation for its ratio of students to certified librarians — it’s also in the bottom five in literacy. The two statistics have legislators like State Rep. Darrin Camilleri questioning why more isn’t being done to increase the presence of librarians in schools.” So he and colleagues have introduced three different bills to address the problem. – WXYZ (Detroit)
Reviving Twyla Tharp’s ‘Deuce Coupe’, The First Ballet-Modern Dance Fusion
Gia Kourlas got Tharp and Sara Rudner, who danced in the work’s 1979 premiere, together with Misty Copeland and Isabella Boylston, who are performing in ABT’s upcoming revival. “It was lively … but certain points became clear: How important is it to work with the artist who actually created a ballet? Very. And how scary is it to step into the roles of two of the finest dancers of their generation, classical or otherwise? Ditto.” – The New York Times
33 Lessons From 33 Pros On How To Succeed As A Dancer
“Dance Magazine spoke to 33 people from all corners of the industry” — among them Paloma Herrera, Judith Jamison, Liz Lerman, David Dorfman, Meredith Monk, Donald Byrd, and Trey McIntyre — “to get their advice on the lessons that could help us all, no matter where we are in our careers.” – Dance Magazine
On The Tour Van With Shakespeare And Company
That would be the New England theatre troupe, not the Paris bookstore. “Every year since 1982, Shakespeare & Company has sent young performers on the road from early winter through late spring, for four months of Dunkin’ Donuts breakfasts, motel showers, flubbed lines, forgotten props, missed turnoffs, standing ovations and the chance to live with Shakespeare’s words a lot like the traveling players of 400 years ago would have.” Reporter Alexis Soloski spent a few days with them. – The New York Times