New York Times chief music critic Anthony Tommassini has been beating the Alan Gilbert drum for quite some time now, and he freely admits that he expected to be disappointed in the end, and is thrilled to have been proven wrong. “Mr. Gilbert is an unpretentious musician with no whiff of the formidable maestro about him. And that is just what makes him such a refreshing choice for the Philharmonic… Mr. Gilbert presents himself simply as a solid, utterly professional conductor who will try to instill a collegial atmosphere within the ranks of the players rather than be their teacher.”
Author: sbergman
A Modest, Soft-Spoken Podium Presence
The evidence that is available suggests that Alan Gilbert will be a departure from the standard-issue personality of past New York Philharmonic music directors. “He is certainly not a galvanic personality-driven ego, unlike previous hotshot young maestros hired by the Philharmonic as music director in past decades, such as John Barbirolli or Leonard Bernstein… Yet how good is Mr. Gilbert’s musicmaking? The evidence available on CD is sparse, [but] his experience with orchestras has been abundant.”
Gilbert Appointment Pleases NY Phil Musicians
The announcement of native New Yorker (and son of two NY Phil musicians) Alan Gilbert as the next music director of the New York Philharmonic was made first to the orchestra’s musicians as they prepared for an outdoor concert in Central Park. Reaction within the ensemble appeared to be immediate and positive, and Gilbert himself put in a surprise appearance to watch the concert.
Professor To Create “Internet Choir”
“A senior lecturer in The School of Computer Science at The University of Manchester, is seeking to combine his academic expertise in communications, networks and digital signal processing with his love of choral singing. He is looking for funding to drive forward a project that will bring together amateur and semi-professional singers across Europe for seamless and polished live performances” over the internet.
Critics Baffled By Network Value Judgments
America’s TV critics are bracing for what might be the worst collection of prime time programming ever. “This year the shows are so hellishly bad that it makes you think that they’re almost trying to make them that way.”
Clueless Producers Blamed For Broadway Debacle
The aborted run of Tony-winning musical Grey Gardens on Broadway has some of the show’s stars fuming, and the husband-and-wife team of producers are taking the brunt of the anger. “Production sources describe them as dilettantes who spent lavishly on parties and gifts but were clueless about marketing and advertising. Sources say they ignored the advice of theater professionals (some of whom were fired during the run of the show) and alienated not only their leading lady but also most of the creative team.”
But Seriously, Take Your Time
The Chicago Symphony hopes to name its next music director by the end of the 2007-08 season, and its CEO says that a shortlist of “between three and seven” conductors is already in place. “Those generating the biggest buzz within the orchestra as likely candidates for Daniel Barenboim’s former post are the Italian maestros Riccardo Muti and Riccardo Chailly.”
Welcoming Harry With Plenty Of Fanfare
New York will be one big Harry Potter party when the new book is released Friday night. “The front of the Time Warner Center will be bathed in orange light, and the lobby in front of the Borders bookstore at the center will be draped in curtains and decorated with ice sculptures. Magicians and balloon artists will be on hand, and a fortuneteller will look into the future at a ‘divination station.’ Then, shortly before midnight, a horse and carriage will pull up…”
Harry Potter And The Ultimate Fan Fiction
Speculation has run rampant concerning what will be revealed when the final installment of the Harry Potter series is released later this week. But rather than guessing at the denouement, one newspaper commissioned a collection of local authors to pen alternate endings to the hugely successful franchise.
Hollywood Embraces The One-Week Wonder
Summer blockbuster movies traditionally do their best business in the first week after their release, so a falloff in ticket sales usually isn’t anything to get exercised about. But “this summer is proving the apotheosis of the one-week blockbuster… The blockbuster onslaught has been driven partly by a shift in the way studios and theater chains divide up box office receipts.”