With observations from three New York City Ballet alumni who learned the title role from Mr. B himself, the recently-retired chief dance critic of The New York Times looks at what makes this ballet different from the rest of Balanchine’s oeuvre. — The New York Times
Author: Matthew Westphal
Why The National Theatres In The British Isles Are So Fraught (And Fought Over)
“In London, it is possible to stage a state-of-the-nation play while remaining vague about the nation you mean. Not so elsewhere.” Just ask the folks at the national theatres of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland — the latter two of which are currently caught up in arguments that go right to the heart of their “national” status. — The Guardian
Critics Talk About The Pleasures And Pains Of Extremely Bad Reviews
“Who are Extremely Bad Reviews written for? What do they hope to accomplish? Are they spiteful acts of vengeance, or more principled demands for justice? Are outright slams more prevalent now, or more effective now, or both, or neither? The answers change with the medium, and the target, and the reviewer in question.” — The Ringer
Russian Filmmaker, Facing Censors And Vigilantes, Puts Comedy On YouTube Instead Of Cinema Screens
When word got around that Aleksey Krasovskiy’s Holiday was a comedy about the Siege of Leningrad, the outrage came thick and fast. So did the threats, all from people who hadn’t seen the movie. So he gave up on distribution and put the film online — where viewers understood just what he was up to. — The New York Times
Anonymous Was A Woman And Its No-Longer-Anonymous Funder
“Last year, 77-year-old artist Susan Unterberg revealed that she’s the patron behind this grantmaking outfit” — which selects ten female artists over 40 each year for $25,000 grants — “though the nominators and final award panel members will remain shrouded in mystery. … While supporting creative women constitutes a grantmaking niche, its focus on equity aligns well with the ongoing social justice trend in arts funding.” — Inside Philanthropy
Screen Actors Guild Accuses Academy Of ‘Intimidation’ Over Oscars
In a statement, SAG-AFTRA [the actors’ union] has claimed that an ‘extraordinary and unwarranted pressure’ is being placed on their members” — that is, that the Academy won’t invite any actor who presents a trophy at the SAG Awards to be a presenter at the Oscars. — The Guardian
A String Bass That Actually Fits In A Manageable Travel Case
“The TravelBass breaks down into separate components for transport in a custom case, and is assembled for play when double bassists reach their destination. Its makers – out of Parma, Italy – reckon that roving musicians should be able to take it on aircraft as carry on luggage in a custom hard case … designed to survive life in the cargo hold.” — New Atlas
Carlos Acosta Named Director Of Birmingham Royal Ballet
The 45-year-old Cuban was one of the (London) Royal Ballet’s most popular stars in his 17 years with the company, from which he retired about three years ago. He says he hopes to “look for choreographers that the Royal Ballet isn’t looking at, people and ballets that might not be obvious.” — The New York Times
Vandal Attack At Denver Art Museum: Damage Estimate Reduced From $1.93 Million To Less Than $100,000
Last month, an 18-year-old allegedly ran through the museum’s “Stampede: Animals in Art” exhibit, knocking over a display case and smashing centuries-old sculptures and objects from China and the Mayan Empire. Fortunately, the museum has announced that almost everything he broke can be repaired and the financial hit taken by the museum will be much lower than feared. — Denver Post
Academy Of American Poets Gets $2.2 Million Gift From Mellon Foundation
The funds are divided into two grants. The first will help start a new fellowship program to support poets laureate of states, cities, United States territories or tribal nations across the country. … The second grant will go toward the Poetry Coalition, a national alliance of more than 20 poetry organizations.” — The New York Times