It would not be an exaggeration to say that the New York Philharmonic represents an acid test for young conductors – the New Yorkers are known as one of the most jaded and demanding groups of musicians in the world. So how would flamboyant young phenom Gustavo Dudamel fare in his Phil debut? Well, it would seem.
Author: sbergman
Michigan Boosts Arts Funding (Or Cuts It)
Michigan arts groups will be getting less money from the state than they were promised a year ago. But after initially proposing huge cuts in cultural spending, the state legislature reconsidered and put back some of the money. So is it a cut or an increase? Depends on who you’re asking.
Facing The Post-Strike Music
There will be plenty of challenges for Broadway actors, directors, and producers as they attempt a quick recovery from the strike that shut down theaters for nearly three weeks. Cues must be relearned, showdogs (seriously) must be retrained, and most importantly, audiences must be convinced to return.
More On-Screen Opera On The Way
When New York’s Metropolitan Opera began simulcasting some of its performances on high-def movie screens across the US last year, no one really knew if the experiment would work.But one year into the project, success has been so unmistakable that other opera companies are scrambling to get in on the fun.
Mozart Manuscript Page To Hit The Block
“One of only two surviving manuscript leaves from one of Mozart’s greatest compositions has been found in a private collection in England… It is the most important single leaf in the composer’s hand to have appeared on the market for decades,” and scholars say it could fetch upwards of £100,000 at auction next week.
Fiscal Crunch In Birmingham
Alabama Ballet may be the state’s most prestigious performing arts group, but it is going through a tough time after $134,000 of government support was pulled. As a result, this year’s Nutcracker production will be danced to recorded music, and belt-tightening is going on all over the organization.
No Norma For Renee
Soprano Renee Fleming has pulled out of a Boston Symphony production of Bellini’s opera Norma that was intended as a trial run for future performances in Europe and New York. Fleming’s publicist says that the soprano simply decided she wasn’t right for the role.
Does Religion Give Warhol A New Tint?
“Some time after the death of pop artist Andy Warhol, undoubtedly the most important and influential artist of his generation, a fact emerged with the force of revelation: throughout his life he had been religious… In a way, knowing this about Warhol changes everything.”
Warner Profits Tank; Recording Industry Hurting
“Warner Music Group, the world’s third-largest music company, on Thursday posted a fall in quarterly profit, hurt by an industry-wide slump in sales as more fans choose to buy songs online rather than physical albums… Sales of digital music at Warner were up 25 percent at $130 million during the quarter but this could not make up for the short-fall in CD sales.”
Writers’ Strike Cancels Democratic Debate
The Democratic National Committee has canceled a presidential candidates’ debate scheduled to be held in Los Angeles and air on CBS, after multiple candidates made it clear they would not be comfortable crossing a picket line threatened by striking Hollywood screenwriters.