“[He] became known as the ‘grandfather of rap’ for his rhythmic, spoken-word verses with the Last Poets, a group that channeled the militant social criticism of the Black Power movement into music that paved the way for hip-hop.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
The Theatre Critic/Blogger Model Is Probably Finished, So Let’s Make Peace With That
Sean Douglass: “I think we have to accept that the former critic and blogger landscape is gone, because there just isn’t enough interest to sustain it. … While many blogs may be gone, the social media that has replaced them can be a far more powerful tool for reaching people than what we’ve ever had before. Let’s not lament the migration to social media and theaters-as-content-distributors. Let’s embrace it.”
Billionaire Buys One Of London’s Oldest Theatres
“[Leonard] Blavatnik’s company Access Entertainment, headed by Danny Cohen, the former director of BBC Television, announced it had purchased the Theatre Royal Haymarket for an undisclosed sum. … The theatre has an interesting history going back to 1720. It opened in its current John Nash-designed grade I-listed building in 1821 with a production of Sheridan’s The Rivals followed by a season which included Edmund Kean as King Lear.”
Conductor Enoch Zu Guttenberg Dead At 71
“A respected conductor of sacred music, his regular performances of Bach’s passions and Christmas Oratorio were eagerly followed by his fans. … [He] was the director of the KlangVerwaltung (Sound Administration) Orchestra and the Neubeuern Choral Association and frequently took the two ensembles on tour to places as far afield as the Concertgebouw concert hall in Amsterdam or the Hong Kong Music Festival.”
This Virtual Reality Is So Good That Disney Should Just Buy The Whole Company
‘Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire,’ a new virtual-reality attraction at Walt Disney World created by a company called The Void, blew this reporter away. And not just him: “Not one person [I talked to] exited without an ear-to-ear smile; most said it was by far the coolest thing they had done during their vacation. Even when I asked about the price — a 20-minute run through the attraction will cost you over $35 — not one person said they thought that was too much, and many said the company was undercharging. You don’t hear that often when visiting theme parks in 2018.” He calls The Void “the inevitable future of park-going experiences.”
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Israel Tour Is Over – What Have We Learned?
Peter Dobrin: “The Philadelphia Orchestra wanted relevance. It got relevance. … And though the controversy over the orchestra’s trip to Israel may have created some uncomfortable friction, it also moved some conversations forward.”
Joan Jonas Wins $900,000 Kyoto Medal For Art
“The Inamori Foundation in Japan has announced that Joan Jonas has won its 2018 Kyoto Prize for Art, which comes with 100 million yen (more than $900,000) and a 20-karat gold medal. (The Kyoto Prize also goes to leaders in the technology and science worlds.)”
The Arts Help Athens Bounce Back From Greece’s Financial Crisis
“[The city has] endure[d] crisis and chaos and economic collapse, and yet emerge[d] from the wreckage as one of the continent’s most vibrant and significant cultural capitals, more popular than ever as a tourist destination. (Last year Athens welcomed a record 5 million visitors, double the 2012 figure.) … In so many ways, Athens feels more alive, more culturally prolific, than ever, and it’s hard to understand how this could have happened in the midst of the worst economic catastrophe in the history of the European Union.”
It’s Official: Los Angeles Times And San Diego Union-Tribune Have A New Owner
“Biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong … is spending $500 million to acquire the news organizations, along with Spanish-language Hoy and a handful of community newspapers, from Chicago-based Tronc.” Reporter Meg James gives background on both the new owner, a South Africa-born surgeon, and the newspapers’ troubles over the past few years.
At Least One Charles Rennie Mackintosh Site In Glasgow Is In Good Shape
Yes, the great architect’s Glasgow School of Art has been devastated by fire for the second time in four years, but there’s at least a bit of good news about his work. One of the Art Nouveau tea rooms he designed in Scotland’s largest city has been restored and reopened.