2007 was a year of contradictions and fragmented ideas, a year in which the worlds of politics, entertainment, and art seemed to be in some sort of bizarre holding pattern. “If there was a way out of any dilemma this year – a lesson for would-be fixers – it was the need to be fluid. Don’t try to change your situation. Just adapt.”
Author: sbergman
Roanoke’s Bold New Museum
Roanoke, Virginia has been trying to reinvent itself for more than two decades, and culture has played an important role in the process. “The latest addition is the new $66 million Art Museum of Western Virginia, one of the most expensive and controversial projects in the city’s history.”
Rough Start For Miami PAC
It was a rough first year for Miami’s $461m Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, with slow ticket sales, administrative chaos, and accusations of overreach. “Its supporters are grappling with the cold truth that if it is going to become a cornerstone of a world-class Miami, both the city and the center have a long way to go.”
Life And Death At Composing Speed
When a composer dies young, what is lost? Had Schubert reached the age of 50 rather than dying at 31, would we now have a much-expanded trove of his greatness? Bernard Holland isn’t so sure: “Life spans measured in years don’t take into account how fast we live them. Composing at the speed of life (forgive me), Schubert at 31 was like any normal musical genius at 65.”
Advancing Dance Online
Dancers and choreographers have been using the internet to full advantage in recent months. “Now artists are using the medium as a way not just to build awareness for their work but also to change the nature of the form.”
New York’s Dancer Of The Moment
“This season Clifton Brown, now 27, has emerged as one of the most gifted members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, standing out for his quietly powerful virtuoso technique and the lyrical grace and translucent inwardness of his performances… He began a career as a stealth performer, a dancer who has the goods but moves slowly up the ranks and into the audience’s consciousness.”
Writers To Return To Letterman Show
The production company behind CBS’s late-night talk shows with David Letterman and Craig Ferguson has struck a side deal with the writers’ union which will allow the shows’ writers to return to work in the New Year. The deal puts pressure on other networks (notably, NBC and Comedy Central) to work out similar deals, lest their late-night hosts be forced to work without a script.
This Ought To Be Funny (Or, Um, Not)
All your favorite late-night TV hosts will be back next week, but you may not recognize their shows. “The late-night hosts, all of whom are WGA members, have agreed to respect work rules set down by the union. That means, in essence, they can’t write material that their striking writing staffs would have produced for them.”
Apple, Fox Teaming Up For Online Rentals
“Apple Inc and Twentieth Century Fox are set to announce a deal that will allow consumers to rent Fox movies through Apple’s digital iTunes Store.” The partnership could mean big trouble for rent-by-mail services Netflix and Blockbuster.
Why Johnny Can’t Write
It’s taken as fact at colleges and universities across America: students just can’t write as well as they used to, and the problem has become so widespread that some schools are requiring students to take courses in proper writing. But do these courses actually work?