John Earl Jelks: “If you live in L.A. or New York or Chicago or one of these major cities, you don’t really think about these people, but 100 miles outside of any of these places, life is so different … How did we end up forgetting about these people? Because that’s what happened.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Keith Cerny Explains Why He Left Calgary Opera So Soon To Go Back To Dallas-Fort Worth
At the very end of last year, Cerny abruptly terminated his successful eight-year run at the helm of The Dallas Opera to head Calgary Opera — and eight months after that, at the start of this week, he announced that he was turning right back around to North Texas, taking the CEO position at the Fort Worth Symphony. In a Q&A, he explains it all to Gregory Sullivan Isaacs.
Michael Novak Talks About Taking Over From Paul Taylor
“We have to acknowledge that culture does change. It will affect how we present the Taylor canon. How do we take Paul’s work and curate it in a way that will serve its audience? Look at New York City Ballet and how they present Balanchine’s legacy. Balanchine created a range of works that need to be coached differently, and I see a lot of analogies to Paul’s work.”
New Evidence About Leonardo’s ‘Salvator Mundi’ Discovered
With interest in what is now the world’s most expensive artwork continuing as it goes on view in Abu Dhabi, a recently spotted reference in historical documents may change the story of how the painting came into the collection of King Charles I of England. It seems as if His Majesty may have confiscated Salvator Mundi from one of his subjects.
Amazon Has Decided Not To Release Woody Allen’s Latest Film
“Woody Allen’s latest film, A Rainy Day in New York, has been left in limbo after Amazon Studios appeared to shelve it indefinitely. The production company, which was contractually obliged to distribute the film, said on Thursday: ‘No release date has ever been set.'”
Why The ‘Overtourism’ Devouring Europe Will Be Difficult To Fix
“Managing a tourist destination is something like managing a natural resource, like a mine or a fishery; a sustainable level of tourists brings widespread gains to the local economy, but too many ruin it for everyone. … That so many different forces” — especially technological developments — “play into overtourism highlights the difficulties of doing much about it.”
Minnesota Orchestra Looks Back On Its Tour Of South Africa: ‘One Of The Great Experiences In Our Professional Lives’
“The numbers begin to paint the picture: Over 5,000 people attended concerts in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Soweto and Johannesburg. Hundreds of students, ranging from elementary school to college age, joined performances, rehearsals and master classes with Minnesota Orchestra musicians. For many audience members, it was the first time with a live orchestra. For some it was the first time even hearing classical music. The reception ranged from amazement to rapturous applause.”
BBC Under Fire For Casting Able-Bodied Actor As ‘Elephant Man’
The BBC is being accused of ableism after casting Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton to play Joseph Merrick in its upcoming adaptation of The Elephant Man. Merrick — who had severe facial and body disfigurements thought to be a result of Proteus syndrome — died in 1890 at age 27. Though the Londoner has previously been portrayed by able-bodied actors like John Hurt and Bradley Cooper, Heaton’s casting has been [criticized by disability advocates and actors].”
Now You Can Study Leonardo Da Vinci’s Notebooks Online
“Scholars and digital experts at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London have posted online the contents of two notebooks by Leonardo da Vinci, enabling devotees of the Renaissance polymath to zoom in and examine his revolutionary ideas and concepts.”
In The Recent Indonesian Earthquakes, It’s The Traditional Bamboo Houses That Didn’t Fall Down
In the series of quakes that shook the island of Lombok earlier this month, the concrete homes that have become the modern standard “became death traps” – they fell to pieces because they had no flex to move with the earth when it shook. The few remaining old-style houses, with thatched bamboo walls and woven-reed roofs, are the ones that survived with little or no damage.