Ken Burns’s new documentary on World War II begins airing on public television next weekend, and if you haven’t heard about it, you’re probably alone. “The War” is being rolled out with a promotional campaign unlike any PBS has ever mounted before, and for good reason. “The world of broadcasting has changed enormously over the last 17 years. So has the world of documentaries.” What hasn’t changed is the trademark Burns style, and PBS is counting on the combination of quality and familiarity to deliver a ratings bonanza.
Author: sbergman
Why Does TV Only Love Bad Dancers?
Sure, dance shows are all the rage on TV right now. But should the serious dance world really consider this to be a positive development, when you’re more likely to see a purple elephant than a serious professional ballet dancer on the small screen? “Here’s the irony: The sharp rise in reality-show dance on TV is matched by a dizzying drop in public television broadcasts of the pros. In other words, the washed-up celebrities and adventurous athletes of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ are all that the viewing public knows of dance these days, since ballet and modern dance companies have been virtually voted off the air.”
Drugs, Alcohol Occupational Hazards For Opera Stars
“Stripping away opera’s glamour, singers are increasingly speaking out about a more sordid side of their world – increased drug and alcohol use sparked by relentless pressure to perform often and well… But insiders agree that heightened competition, unyielding sponsor demands and the weight of stardom are leading to excesses that invite comparisons of opera to sports tarnished by doping scandals. Some attempts to stay on top are relatively harmless, like popping a beta blocker to soothe butterflies before stepping onstage. Others are more alarming.”
The Music Of Emotional Honesty
“Today Grieg is generally viewed as a composer of enduring popularity but secondary significance. This perception is not quite right on either count,” and as the music world prepares to mostly ignore the centenary of his death, Anthony Tommasini says that the time is right for Norway’s greatest composer to finally get his due. “If aspiring composers want an example of music that conveys the sound world of a culture and breathes with emotional honesty, they can do no better than Grieg.”
What The MassMoCA Debacle Tells Us About Art
The battle that erupted months ago between the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA) and Swiss artist Christoph Büchel over whether Büchel’s planned installation should open as scheduled (the artist wanted it canceled, claiming that the museum was trying to get the exhibit on the cheap) has become a cautionary tale for museums across the country. “The meltdown at Mass MOCA is sad for all concerned, yet is also a reflection of the changes wrought since the late 1960s, as installation art evolved from renegade form into an institutional staple of ever-bigger galleries and museums.”
New Contract For Chicago
The musicians and management of the Chicago Symphony have reportedly reached agreement on a new, multiyear contract. Details to follow…
Falletta To Stay In Buffalo As Money Rolls In
The Buffalo Philharmonic has re-upped music director JoAnn Falletta through 2013, and announced significant progress on a $30 million endowment drive that the orchestra hopes will give it long-term financial stability. The BPO also balanced its annual budget for the third year in a row.
Will Philly Ever Get The Great Hall It Was Promised?
The main concert hall at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center is a beautiful thing to behold, but its acoustic has never quite measured up to the advance billing. Several studies have recommended significant acoustical changes, but thus far, the center appears content to stand pat. “So is this it? Is the hall’s sound fixed in its not-quite-good-enough state? Will Verizon Hall ever achieve the greatness planners promised, and, if so, does anyone have the wits, will and musical authority to get it there?”
Deal Nearly Done In Philly
“Musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra met last night at the Kimmel Center to discuss a contract proposal hammered out after another round of talks with management… The negotiating committee has recommended a “yes” vote, according to sources familiar with details of the talks. The proposal calls for changes in work rules, including allowing for more Sunday concerts and ‘run-out’ concerts – performances in nearby cities that require several hours’ travel… And the new contract calls for what players characterized as ‘decent’ raises.”
Women Filmmakers Thrive – Just Not In Hollywood
“Hollywood is male-driven and the women directors who made it on to the list of the 250 top-grossing American films in 2006 comprise only 7 per cent of the total number of directors, according to an annual survey conducted at San Diego State University. The number was the same in 2005. Women screenwriters made up 10 per cent of the total – but that number is going down. In 1998, it was 13 per cent. The Toronto International Film Festival, and by implication the international film world, presents a different picture. This year’s tally of 52 women directors on the list of 332 new films amounts to more than 15 per cent.”