Author: sbergman

Are The Ultrarich Good For The Culture?

As the gap between the ultra-rich and everyone else continues to grow, some have speculated that we could be entering a new Gilded Age, and the billionaires making it happen think it could be a very good thing. Of course, they would think that. “The new titans often see themselves as pillars of a similarly prosperous and expansive age, one in which their successes and their philanthropy have made government less important than it once was.”

Four Takes On Harry Potter

The Harry Potter film franchise now stands at five films, with four different directors tackling JK Rowling’s boy wizard. And that diversity of directorial viewpoints (along with fast-evolving technology that has made ever more spectacular wizardry possible) has given the series a distinct evolving style, as the movies have gone from wide-eyed and innocent to dark and dangerous.

Versace In Toe Shoes

A ballet commemorating the tenth anniversary of the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace is set to premiere in Milan. “Thanks Gianni, With Love has been put together by French choreographer Maurice Bejart, for whom Versace designed many stage costumes. About 1,500 guests, including Versace’s favourite models, are due to attend the show at the La Scala opera house.”

Is Classical Guitar Finally Ready For Its Closeup?

Guitar is probably the least celebrated of all classical instruments – it needs amplification to be heard over an orchestra, it has a limited repertoire, and it’s devilishly hard to play when you’re not simply strumming chords. “But all that may be changing. A new generation of classical guitarists has emerged over the past decade, raising performance standards and pushing the instrument into new realms. These players have embraced the instrument’s eclectic roots, while writing innovative works and digging up new repertoire.”

Conlon On The Rise

Conductor James Conlon took his time establishing his career in Europe before coming home to America, but now that he’s become one of the US’s most sought after conductors, he’s quickly built a reputation as a podium boss unafraid of taking chances. As he takes the reins at LA Opera, he anticipates building on that reputation.

Plenty of Cash, But Who Should Be Getting It?

Louisville’s 50-year-old Fund for the Arts set a record this year, raising $8 million to be divvied up between the area’s cultural organizations. For a city Louisville’s size, that’s no chump change. But “significant as the fund is, it’s by no means innocuous. Every few years, it seems, controversy arises about whether the fund is pursuing the proper goals and bolstering the proper groups.”

Still A Place For The Local Record Store

Record stores drawing their last, gasping breath? Not in Toronto, where some scrappy indies are hanging on despite some high-profile collapses. The key, according to some store owners, is learning to cater to underserved niches, rather than trying to service the broader music market in an age when music of all kinds can be purchased hassle-free online.

The Potter Miracle

Everyone in the publishing biz wants desperately to find the next Harry Potter. But what if there just isn’t another one to be found? The reality may be that the Cult of Harry is one of those unexplainable, once-in-a-lifetime phenomena that we need to enjoy while it’s here.

Twin Cities Tops In Entertainment Spending

A new government survey assesses American spending habits, and names Minneapolis/St. Paul as the metro area in which residents spend the most per capita on entertainment, including arts, music, movies, restaurants, and general “going out” expenses. “Compared with 10 years ago, our spending on what economists class as luxuries, including eating out and alcohol, is zooming.”