The Peabody Awards, honoring excellence in broadcasting, were announced on Wednesday, and among the winners were PBS’s Art: 21 series focusing on living artists, and American Public Media’s The MTT Files, which features conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony.
Author: sbergman
Where Did Red Go Wrong?
“The swift collapse of Red (an orchestra) two weeks ago came as a surprise to everyone who thought the audacious Cleveland ensemble was on the right artistic and financial track… Until this season, its sixth, Red appeared to be a model arts organization. But a crisis evidently had been simmering.”
Edinburgh Going Global
This year’s edition of the Edinburgh International Festival will be chock full of international flavor, as “a drive to reflect both the changing face of Europe and the redrawing of borders across the globe have acted as… inspirations” for director Jonathan Mills, in his second year at the massive fest’s helm.
UBS Vows To Continue Supporting Orchestras
“A day after posting a first-quarter loss of 12 billion Swiss francs ($11.9 billion), UBS AG, Europe’s biggest bank by assets, defended its sponsorship of the London Symphony Orchestra, which runs until 2010… UBS backs nearly two dozen orchestras and festivals across Europe and the U.S.”
The Insane Price Escalation Of The Strad
“In 1945 you would have paid ten grand in dollars for a top Strad; today it can make 30 times as much, depending on pedigree and condition.” So, does a top Italian violin even qualify as a good investment for a musician anymore?
The Changing Face Of Classical Guitar
The next big star in classical guitar is Chinese. And female. “A rare woman on a macho instrument, she speaks no word of Spanish and comes from a culture untouched by the quixotic, unmoved by romantic plaints on nylon strings. Everything she has done from infancy on has been a first.”
Conductor Pulls Serious Double Duty In Pittsburgh
“Desperate times led to a remarkable solution in Verdi’s ‘Aida’ at [Pittsburgh’s] Benedum Center last night: The conductor stepped in to sing for an ailing tenor.” Not only that, Pittsburgh Opera music director Antony Walker kept conducting the performance, while singing the male lead!
School Of Rock And Bach?
Most classical musicians no longer adhere to the idea that their genre is somehow superior to all other forms of music. But there’s still a stigma attached to non-classical music in conservatories around the world. Things do seem to be changing, though…
Boston Ballet Moving To New Home
“After more than 30 years performing at the city’s biggest and most opulent theater, on Tremont Street, Boston Ballet has signed a long-term deal to move its season into the recently restored Opera House, beginning in 2009. The move ends a sometimes contentious relationship between the ballet and the Citi Performing Arts Center, which oversees the 3,600-seat Wang Theatre, where the ballet has appeared for decades.”
Austrian Minister Demands Cooperation On Looted Art
“Austria’s culture minister said Wednesday she was seeking ‘clarity’ regarding an art collection that allegedly contains works stolen by the Nazis… Culture Minister Claudia Schmied said she expected the [Leopold Museum Private Foundation] to ‘open up’ by early April and approve an independent examination of its collection by two researchers paid by the federal government.”