An attempt by parents in a Minneapolis suburb to have Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” removed from school curricula is sparking a discussion over the place of the word “nigger” in literature. So far, the book hasn’t been removed, but parents are appealing to the superintendent to intercede.
Author: sbergman
And No, You Can’t Get Your McCartney Half-Caf
Paul McCartney has been introduced as the flagship star in what Starbucks hopes will shortly be a thriving stable of recording artists. Yes, Starbucks. The ubiquitous coffee company, which has been selling CDs and DVDs in its stores for some time, is starting its own record label. “The label plans to sell albums through traditional and digital music outlets, with no advance sales and no additional content for Starbucks stores.”
Sounds Like The Next “Lion King”
What do you get when you combine a TV legend with a taste for verbosity with an indie band whose popularity is at its peak? Um, a stage musical, apparently. “The musical, based on the Flaming Lips’ psychedelic 2002 album, [Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robot], will feature songs by the band and a book by [Aaron] Sorkin.”
NY To Get A Very Different Gehry
Frank Gehry’s first New York building promises to add “a much-needed touch of lightness to the Manhattan skyline just as the city finally emerges from a period of mourning,” says Nicolai Ouroussoff. “The results — almost pristine by Mr. Gehry’s standards — suggest the casual confidence of an aging virtuoso rather than the brash innovation of a rowdy outsider.”
Hard To Believe That Anyone Would Object To That
Movie posters for an upcoming horror film have been pulled across the country following multiple complaints from cinema patrons. “The posters portrayed star Elisha Cuthbert being tortured and killed.”
Bell Wins Fisher Prize
Joshua Bell has been named the winner of this year’s Avery Fisher Prize, an honor which comes with $75,000 cash. “Previous winners include cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianists Emanuel Ax and Andre Watts, and violinists Sarah Chang and Midori.”
Funding Freefall May Finally Be Over In Ohio
“Funding for the arts has fallen in Ohio in the last six years, with the Ohio Arts Council budget suffering a more than 30 percent decline.” The latest budget proposal from the state’s governor would stop the slide, but the council is still a long way from the $32m it received in 2001.
Smithsonian Called Underfunded And Disorganized
“The Smithsonian Institution’s eight art museums and galleries are perpetually underfunded, have uneven collections and leadership, and ‘have seldom lived up to their names’ as national museums, according to a report by a committee of outside museum directors. The conclusions, which will be released today, recommend reorganizing the Smithsonian’s arts institutions to eliminate duplication, increase funding and foster more collaboration among them.”
Opera Moves Beyond “Greatest Hits” Mentality
The arts media have been all agog in recent months over innovations being introduced to the opera world (notable, the Met’s simulcasting of live productions in movie theaters around the world.) David Patrick Stearns points out that though opera audiences are a notoriously conservative bunch, even by classical music standards, the changes had to come eventually. “Traditional views of traditional opera will always exist. But opera is among the greatest chameleons of the performing arts. It can be so many things. To make the traditional operatic experience the only experience is to cut off its tail.”
Where’s The Commitment To Canadian Arts?
When Canada’s Conservative Party took over the leading role in national government last year, the country’s arts leaders were assured that the change would not mean a wholesale gutting of Canada’s cultural subsidies. But the Tory budget for 2007-08 reflects a largely indifferent attitude towards the arts.