A massive oil painting depicting the Battle of Gettysburg known as the Gettysburg Cyclorama “is returning to public view on Friday after a five-year, $15 million restoration… The painting is now mounted in a new $103 million visitor center, which includes an impressive 24,000-square-foot Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War that opened in April and surveys not only the three days of battle here, but also the war and its impact.”
Author: sbergman
Are Things Looking Up For The Record Industry?
“It’s been a long time since people in the recorded music industry have considered themselves lucky… But going into the last three months of the year, when more music is sold than at any other time, labels, retailers and others in the business say they are somewhat optimistic — or at least less pessimistic than usual.”
Google CEO Tells FCC To Free Up Spectrum Already
“Google co-founder Larry Page attended a Capitol Hill hearing today and called upon the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to “free” the white spaces spectrum so it can be used as an affordable, nationwide, high-speed broadband connectivity network… Page’s personal appearance brings star power to the dispute that pits companies such as Google, Microsoft and Motorola against wireless audio equipment manufacturers and live events producers.”
Getting Beyond “Classical Music for Dummies”
The Chicago Symphony has found a successful formula for bringing audiences deeper into the music they hear in the concert hall. It bears a bland title (“Beyond the Score,”) but the series of performances, now available for download and DVD purchase, goes far beyond standard-issue pre-concert lectures to combine the performance with an innovative look at composers and their output.
Deposed Cleveland Critic Speaks
Don Rosenberg, the veteran music critic taken off the Cleveland Orchestra beat last week for being too tough on the orchestra’s music director, says that he was told by his editor that “my reviews were unfair, and I was attacking the orchestra.” He maintains that he has no personal ax to grind with conductor Franz Welser-Möst, but says, “I think this is a case of an extraordinary orchestra with an ordinary conductor.”
Meanwhile, Cleveland’s New Critic Debuts…
Zachary Lewis files his first piece since taking over the Cleveland Orchestra beat from Don Rosenberg, and it’s (surprise!) a profile of music director Franz Welser-Möst. “While some critics question his artistry, by some financial measures Welser-Most has been an asset to the orchestra’s bottom line. Under his direction, demand for the ensemble, both domestically and internationally, has increased.”
Jimmy’s Back In Boston
Conductor James Levine was back on the podium to open the Boston Symphony’s new season last night, following a difficult summer which saw him undergo emergency kidney surgery and miss the bulk of the orchestra’s summer season at Tanglewood. Levine appeared healthy (and relatively slender,) and said before the concert that he’s ready for the grind of the season.
“Violins of Hope” Debut In Israel
A set of violins belonging to Holocaust survivors have been heard in concert in Jerusalem. The instruments, collected from across Europe and restored by an Israeli luthier, include one owned by a survivor who was forced to play it nightly for Nazi guards, and who later used his violin case to smuggle the explosives that destroyed the Nazi base.
Waiting For The Venue
A $475 million performing arts center is on the horizon in Las Vegas, and for the city’s cultural organizations, it can’t break ground soon enough. The center already has commitments for two resident companies, but there’s plenty of room for other groups to cut deals of their own.
Is The Russian Art World Coming of Age?
“Russia’s yachting, partying, British football club-acquiring billionaires are, as they mature, refining their tastes, learning the fine art of collecting fine art and breathing new life into a once-struggling Russian market.”