“Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard is facing criticism after footage of her apparently questioning the 9/11 attacks surfaced on the internet… Cotillard appears to suggest the attacks on the World Trade Center were staged to avoid the expense of refurbishing them.”
Author: sbergman
Berkeley Rep Quietly Taking Over NY Stages
Berkeley Repertory Theater must be one of the most influential small companies in America, and lately, a surprising number of big-time New York productions have roots at Berkeley Rep. “The company continues to pride itself on producing provocative, often overtly political theater, the kind that generates loud and clamorous debate.”
Recycling Bile Into Art
In case anyone was wondering, artist Christoph Büchel and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art are still battling over Büchel’s aborted commission for the museum. The latest salvo is Büchel’s: he wants legal documents in the dispute released so that he can use them to create new works of art.
Could Culture Save Cleveland?
Cleveland is hosting a conference highlighting the success of some Rust Belt cities in attracting artists and other cultural classes. It’s a skill Cleveland could sorely use, as the once-proud Ohio town struggles to hold its existing population and reinvent itself for a post-industrial future.
Straight From The Horses’ Mouths
Ever wished you could ask an orchestra musician which section puts away the most beer? Or ask a director whether sex scenes make them uncomfortable? The Observer has put together a panel of experts from across the UK arts world to answer these and 48 other questions about culture.
In The End, Did The Music Accomplish Anything?
“What exactly did the message of Gershwin and Dvorak mean to the North Koreans? And how much of it got through?” In the wake of the New York Philharmonic’s trip to Pyongyang, there seems to be far more questions than answers.
NJ Arts Groups Fight “Devastating” Cuts
“The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is facing a proposed $5.9 million cut — from $21.9 million to $16 million — to fund local arts organizations… Arts organizations across the state plan to mobilize grassroots support to restore the council’s funding, with advocates calling the cuts devastating.”
Demystifying The Conductor’s Job
Conducting is frequently talked of as if it is a deeply inscrutable skill, mysterious and unquantifiable. But one Japanese scholar was convinced that a conductor’s motions could be understood and quantified, and more importantly, taught to other conductors. The result of his work is called The Saito Method, and it has devotees around the world.
Not Famous Enough? Insult Someone Who Is.
A collection of letters in which a now-forgotten Scottish composer launches attack after attack on Edward Elgar has gone on display in Liverpool. Ernest Bryson called Elgar “stupid” and “impertinent” after the composer declined an invitation to become president of a local chamber music society.
12-Year-Old New Yorker’s Music Makes It To Pyongyang
Lost in all the hype over the New York Philharmonic’s trip to North Korea was the fact that the trip to Pyongyang marked the international debut of a new piece of music by a 12-year-old composer. Farah Taslima “had originally written it for the entire Philharmonic two years ago, and it was played at one of the orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts at Lincoln Center.”