“Once iTunes helped revolutionize the music business and began to make inroads in the television business, the media conglomerates that own TV networks and channels began to hatch a plan to compete (or, more accurately, they panicked).” The upshot is that the merger of television and internet is now closer than ever to becoming a consumer reality.
Author: sbergman
Out In Hollywood
Despite the perception that much of the world has gotten beyond judging people by their sexuality, there is still a noticeable barrier for openly gay actors in Hollywood. But “some say the tide might slowly be turning as young actors begin coming out amid an atmosphere of unfiltered news and photos on Internet blogs and websites.”
Demand Drops, But Supply Increases In D.C.
“The number of stage performances and theater companies in and around Washington went up last year, while overall attendance dropped 1.9 percent… 67 professional companies [presented] 8,050 performances of 454 shows. That is an increase from 2006 of three companies, 402 performances and 20 shows.”
Polenzani Picks Up $50K Met Opera Award
“The tenor Matthew Polenzani has been named the winner of the $50,000 Beverly Sills Artist Award for young American singers at the Metropolitan Opera. The award is intended to further the careers of gifted singers between the ages of 25 and 40 who have appeared in featured solo roles with the Met.”
Cruise, United Artists Off To A Rocky Start
Odd behavior aside, Tom Cruise remains one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. So why has a high-profile movie he made last year been repeatedly shelved and its release date pushed back? It all has to do with the complicated functioning of movie production companies.
Ancient Afghan Oil Paintings Discovered
Oil painting may have originated in Afghanistan centuries before the medium came into common use in Europe, new evidence suggests. Wall paintings made with oil-based paint were discovered by French researchers in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. “The wall-paintings were devotional art showing the Buddha, often in colourful robes.”
Cannes To Feature Eastwood, Wenders Premieres
“Movie icon Clint Eastwood will premiere his latest directorial outing, called Changeling, at the Cannes International Film Festival next month… Other films set for the event include Wim Wenders’ The Palermo Shooting and Steven Soderbergh’s four-hour biopic of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.”
Reinventing The Barbican (Yet Again)
Since taking over as head of London’s Barbican Centre, Nicholas Kenyon has launched an ambitious plan to make the venue’s programming more exciting, more broad-based, and more global. “One of Kenyon’s plans: find Britain’s answer to Venezuela’s acclaimed Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra.”
Kimmel Center Bailed Out By Supporters
Several large Philadelphia philanthropies have kicked in $30m to retire construction debt left over for the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. A group of individual donors has also been tapped to boost the center’s endowment to $72m. It is “the largest arts bailout in the city’s history.”
UK Seeks Culture Of Philanthropy
“The biggest problem in Britain, according to [some arts leaders,] is the single issue of cultural philanthropy… At a time when substantial public funding is required for the London 2012 Olympic Games, concerns have mounted subsidy for the arts – particularly in National Lottery ‘Grants for Arts’ money – will diminish.” Arts groups are looking to wealthy individuals to fill in the gaps.