“In yet another dose of bad news for Broadway, the producers of the long running hit musical Hairspray, announced on Friday that the show will close on January 18. The announcement makes Hairspray the fourth Broadway show to post a closing notice in the last two weeks.”
Author: sbergman
You Can’t Please Everyone, Especially In Radio
If there’s one word that describes the philosophy behind the CBC’s revamp of formerly all-classical Radio 2, it’s eclecticism. But is so much diversity of musical style leading to an incoherent sound? “The playlists… often sound as if they’ve been put together simply to include all the kinds of listeners that the CBC wants to attract.”
Everybody Loves Mediocrity
Scotland’s Really Terrible Orchestra, which is made up of hapless amateurs and has gained quite a following on the internet, is actually mounting an international tour next year. The RTO will appear in New York next April, on the heels of a sold-out performance in London this year.
The Adams Ethos
Composer John Adams is just out with a new autobiography, which in addition to telling his life story, gets into the subject of how he came to develop such a distinctive, recognizable sound. “I felt that I could take [an existing musical] language — somewhat in the same way, let’s say, that Picasso took cubism and used it as a jumping-off point for an expression that was much more varied and much more dramatic.”
Shakespeare Hasn’t Paid His Gas Bill, Either
“A German fee collection agency has sent mail addressed to poet Friedrich Schiller, who died in 1805, reminding him to pay his TV and radio license fee.” The address the bill was sent to is home to a school named for Schiller.
NYC Opera Lays Off Staff Amid Fiscal, Mgmt Concerns
“New York City Opera has laid off 11 members of its administrative staff because of financial pressures and a lack of work caused by the cancellation of most of its season… The layoffs follow other turbulence, including a quixotic bid by the general manager-designate, Gerard Mortier, to take over the Bayreuth Festival in Germany, which surprised board members. City Opera faces a deficit of up to $15 million.”
Is City Opera Having Second Thoughts About Mortier?
“Mr. Mortier’s pursuit of the Bayreuth [directorship] gave the impression that his interest in City Opera, which opens its modest new season on Saturday night, might be waning. That perception was reinforced by an e-mail message he sent to several reporters, explaining that his Bayreuth move was intended in part as a signal to the City Opera board.”
At Long Last, Philly Becomes Dutoit’s Orchestra
Charles Dutoit has conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra hundreds of times, and this fall, with the venerable band still lacking a music director to replace Christoph Eschenbach, he becomes the de facto artistic leader of the organization. “He arrives not merely as conservator but as active restorer, with a stated purpose of initiating the orchestra’s newest members, who might not have been born in 1980 when [Eugene] Ormandy finished his sound-building days.”
Regina Symphony Contract Talks At An Impasse
“Negotiations between the board of the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the union representing the musicians have hit a sour note in its centennial season… [Musicians maintain] they are the lowest-paid symphony players in the country. If unpaid, individual preparation time prior to rehearsals is taken into account, incomes fall below the poverty line for full-time musicians.”
A Regional Orchestra Looks To Boost Its Brand
Six years ago, a wealthy couple gave the struggling San Diego Symphony $120m to stabilize its finances and (hopefully) elevate its standing among American orchestras. Now, the orchestra is hoping to raise another $96m by 2010, and with a newly boosted core of 80 full-time musicians, is seeking to raise its profile nationally and internationally.