“Philip Glass is without a doubt America’s most famous living composer of classical music… Yet Glass’s seventieth birthday, which fell on January 31st of this year, failed to create much hullabaloo in the ordinarily anniversary-addicted classical world.” The problem may be that Glass’s prolific catalog includes as many clunkers as masterpieces, and much of his output does have a tendency to sound the same. “Certainly, no one can deny that Glass possesses an instantly recognizable signature sound; the question now is whether that signature is being produced by automatic pen.”
Author: sbergman
Graffiti Art Gains Traction In London
“London is enjoying a rash of exhibitions by artists who draw their inspiration from popular street culture, and salerooms are planning to increase the exposure they get in major auctions. Described variously as street, urban or graffiti artists, few have had a traditional fine-art education and most have their roots in graphic design or are simply self-taught… But the artists and galleries that represent them are cocking a snook at the establishment because they have caught the imagination of the public, collectors and investors alike.”
Scotland’s Next Great Playwright
Playwright Morna Pearson is considered a rising star in the UK, and some see her as a beacon of hope for original Scottish voices in the performing arts. “Pearson will be announced tonight as the winner of this year’s prestigious Meyer-Whitworth award for new writing for her debut professional play, Distracted… Significantly, rather than naming any playwrights as influences, Pearson mentions comedy subversives such as Chris Morris and Steve Coogan.”
Blanchett Slammed In Sydney
“Cate Blanchett’s impending debut as artistic director of Australia’s national theatre company has not been widely welcomed, amid reservations that she was given the role ahead of more experienced candidates, and yesterday the controversy surrounding her appointment deepened. In an extraordinary outburst, one of the company’s leading actors resigned in disgust, saying: ‘An Oscar for acting is not a suitable recommendation to run the biggest theatre company in the country.'”
Why Musicals Aren’t Taken More Seriously
Musicals are fine for what they are, says Mark Ravenhill, but they frequently have “as much to do with a night of good theatre as homemade porn does with a lifelong relationship.” So why do purveyors of such pap believe that they deserve the same serious treatment from critics as Pinter and Shakespeare receive?
Dali & Lorca, The Untold (And Untrue?) Story
“A new film is to depict a gay love affair between Salvador Dali, the eccentric master of the avant-garde, and his fellow Spaniard Federico Garcia Lorca, the doomed dramatist and poet… The interpretation, by British screenwriter Philippa Goslett, is likely to cause controversy among biographers and historians. Although a physically intimate relationship between the men has long been rumoured, Dali told interviewers more than once that he rejected the homosexual Lorca’s attempts to seduce him.”
The Best Art You’ll Never See
There is a museum in Tehran with more than $5 billion worth of art by the masters of the Western world locked away in its vaults, away from public view. “Despite being widely judged as the most important and comprehensive western art collection in Asia, the treasures are squirreled away behind a high-security door that can be opened only using a safe combination number.” The museum claims that it has no responsibility to display the works, and decries what it claims is a Western insistence on its own cultural superiority.
Salonen In Transition
Esa-Pekka Salonen will leave his longtime podium post in Los Angeles in 2009, and will rededicate himself to his composing career, even as he becomes chief conductor of London’s Philharmonia. It’s an unusual career move, but Salonen says he planned it this way all along. “Many years ago, I made up my mind to leave when things were still good… This has been an amazing experience for me, the major journey in my life as a conductor. Whatever I do in the future will be different.”
UK Museums Score Art Bequest Worth Over $200m
“A collection of artworks, which is thought to be worth up to £100m ($206m), has been donated to the Tate and the National Gallery. British art collector Simon Sainsbury, who died last year, bequeathed 18 paintings from artists including Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin and Lucian Freud.”
2006 Donation Rankings Released
“Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts was the top recipient of private donations among U.S. arts organizations in 2006, with a total of $185.8 million, according to a survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy released today. New York’s Museum of Modern Art was No. 2 in the survey, with $133.5 million raised.” Others in the top rankings included the Smithsonian, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera, and Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.