“More than 50 years after the musical “West Side Story” had its original Broadway premiere, it is set to return in February in a darker, grittier, bilingual revival… Much of the dialogue — both spoken and sung — will be in Spanish.”
Author: sbergman
New Chief For NY’s Film Society
“Mara Manus, the Public Theater’s top financial executive for the last six years, will take over as executive director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center… Ms. Manus, a former film studio executive who in April announced her decision to step down from the Public, is widely credited with helping to guide the theater to financial stability.”
SAG Stalemate Drags On
“Hollywood studios and the Screen Actors Guild have failed to reach an agreement in their latest meeting over a proposed new pay deal. Neither side made any comment after they met for two hours in Los Angeles.”
WGA Seeks To Represent Scriptless Writers
Hollywood writers are taking their long-simmering dispute with producers of reality TV shows public, protesting at the audition events for the new season of American Idol. “The WGA has sought to represent reality show workers since 2005… The union alleges that employees, such as production assistants and editors, write scenarios and outlines.”
EU Looks To Make Music Royalties Lifelong
“Aging rock stars and session musicians will keep receiving royalties for their old recordings for the rest of their lives under a European Union plan. Performers currently lose the rights to their recordings after 50 years.”
Lang Lang’s Red Piano To Hit The Block For Charity
Tuesday night, Lang Lang soloed with the New York Philharmonic before a massive crowd in Central Park on a bright red Steinway grand. During the performance, Lang announced that the piano would be auctioned off “to raise money for the American Red Cross China Earthquake Relief Fund… Bidding starts at the $165,000 retail price.”
Shreveport Symphony Implements Conversion Plan
The Shreveport Symphony says that all of its musicians have officially signed contracts for the 2008-09 season, ending a stalemate over a controversial downsizing plan for the ensemble. “The new contract switches core or full-time musicians to a per-service pay structure, resulting in a 75 percent salary cut, from $12,693 to $3,123.”
Bass Brawlin’
It’s been a bad month for musicians in Cincinnati. First, a bass player in the Cincinnati Symphony was arrested for beating his wife, and now, a featured bass at the Cincinnati Opera is charged with a vicious street assault in the Over-The-Rhine neighborhood.
Can Music Make Your Merlot Taste Better?
“Playing a certain type of music can enhance the way wine tastes, research by psychologists suggests. The Heriot Watt University study found people rated the change in taste by up to 60% depending on the melody heard.”
MIA Gives Concerned Artists A Soapbox
Local artists in Minnesota are being given an opportunity to air their concerns about the future of a regional art program at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. MIA’s exhibition program is unique among large U.S. museums, and the recent resignation of the program’s curator sparked alarm. “The chief worry is that artists would no longer be able to choose and organize shows by their peers.”