“The orchestra has released a statement saying that it, along with Dutoit, ‘have jointly agreed to release him from his forthcoming concert obligations with the orchestra for the immediate future,’ adding that it is ‘committed to the highest standards of ethical behaviour’. … He has been sacked from other positions at the San Francisco Symphony, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, while orchestras in New York, Chicago and Cleveland have all cancelled appearances from him.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
New York Public Radio Fires Longtime Hosts Leonard Lopate And Jonathan Schwartz
The two were suspended two weeks ago over allegations of “inappropriate conduct”; following an investigation, they were dismissed on Thursday. “It’s a stunning end for two of WNYC’s most recognizable voices: Lopate interviewed everyone from Barack Obama to Liza Minnelli on his long-running weekday show, while Schwartz maintained a devoted following for his weekend program dedicated to the American Songbook.”
Clifford Irving, Perp Of 20th-Century’s Greatest Failed Literary Hoax, Dead At 87
Despite several other notable books and a notably extravagant life, Irving is best remembered for his forged “autobiography” of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes – who briefly emerged from his extreme seclusion to denounce the volume as fake. (In an impressive bit of chutzpah, Irving later wrote and sold a book about his hoax, and even got a movie made of it.)
Dallas Opera Names Former Board Chair As Interim CEO
“The Dallas Opera responded Thursday to the recent departure of former general director and CEO Keith Cerny by appointing longtime board and executive committee member Kern Wildenthal as interim general director and CEO. Wildenthal, the announcement noted, ‘will serve in a volunteer capacity, with no compensation, until a permanent director is appointed.'”
Afghanistan’s Lost Ancient Cities Are Being Discovered By Spy Satellites
“For archaeologists, Afghanistan is virtually off-limits for fieldwork, as Taliban forces battle the Kabul government in far-flung provinces and security remains tenuous even in the capital. Yet U.S. and Afghan researchers are now finding thousands of never-before-cataloged ancient sites in the country, which for more than a millennium served as a crucial crossroads linking East and West. The discoveries promise to expand scholars’ view of long-vanished empires while giving the battered nation a desperately needed chance to protect its trove of cultural heritage.”
Orlando Ballet Names First Artist In Residence
“The idea is for the artist in residence to help develop unique content for the ballet, serve as a role model for Orlando Ballet School students and through master classes and other events serve as an ambassador to the community. Dancer Arcadian Broad is the first person given the open-ended position, which will be reserved for those who demonstrate talent in multiple areas and can leave a lasting impact on the company and the wider dance community.”
Turkish President To Replace Atatürk Cultural Center, Istanbul’s Major Monument To Modern Turkey’s Founder
“Recep Tayyip Erdoğan [has] unveiled plans for a new opera house and cultural complex on Taksim Square in central Istanbul … which will entirely replace the Atatürk Cultural Centre built in 1969 in memory of the great modernising founding father of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. … [The current building] is viewed as a Modernist landmark and the symbol of the progressive, secular Turkish Republic.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 12.21.17
National Gallery Does It Again: A Wonderful Christmas Theme
“The first Christmas gift is gold …” says the National Gallery’s Caroline Campbell as she begins a video inviting visitors to explore the theme of gold in the stories told by art at the London museum. … read more
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts Published 2017-12-20
A Plenitude of Nudes: Drawn to Michelangelo’s Musclemen at the Met
“This drawing is the reason why I’m a curator at the Met,” Carmen Bambach confided during a victory lap around her masterpiece marathon – Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer (to Feb. 12). … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2017-12-21
Reflections on the Bodleian’s Treasures – and a few others
To be honest, though for most of my adult life I’ve lived less than twenty minutes away from the Bodleian Library, I haven’t spent a great deal of time in its reading rooms … read more
AJBlog: Plain English Published 2017-12-21
Recent Listening: The Wisdom Of Eddie Palmieri
Eddie Palmieri, Sabiduria (Ropeadope)
Twin undercurrents run through this immensely satisfying album: Palmieri’s mastery of Afro-Cuban rhythms and the deep harmonic inspiration with which he motivates himself and his musicians. … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2017-12-20
Documenting the Athens Music Scene
One of the first things I saw when I moved to Athens, GA, two years ago was a gallery – okay, it was the landing of a rock club, the Georgia Theatre … read more
AJBlog: CultureCrash Published 2017-12-20
Frida Kahlo, Global Brand
“Since her death in 1954, Kahlo has become a global symbol of resilience against adversity and patriarchal oppression, a feminist icon, and, thanks to her affairs with both men and women, a cult figure in the queer community. … And her rise to prominence in the popular imagination – through the ’80s and ’90s and on – has coincided with the ascendance of identity politics.” Combine that with good old global capitalism (which she abhorred), and you get her image on everything from postage stamps to nail polish to tequila to socks. Tess Thackara tells how it all came to pass.
The Big Hollywood Trend Of 2017? Replacing Directors Mid-Shoot
Justice League, Bohemian Rhapsody, and more than one Star Wars film had directors quit or get fired in the middle of the project. “The person in the director’s chair has come to be increasingly viewed as a more disposable commodity than the intellectual property he or she was entrusted to bring to the screen. To hear it from a writer-director who has long operated at the highest echelons of popcorn movie-making, … this anti-auteur shift occurred over the last two years.”