Blog

Jacques Chirac’s Problematic New Museum

“As an epitaph to a presidency, Chirac really couldn’t have chosen a more controversial subject. The new museum contains that stunning national collection of ethnographic artefacts that so entranced Modernist artists in Paris — it is Chirac’s passion, too, as the self-styled ‘great defender’ of global culture. But at a time of national soul-searching over the stagnant economy, the loss of the Olympics and the recent race riots, this is bold indeed. True to form, the project has been dogged with controversy — not just the usual ‘will it be finished in time’ (not quite), the cost (£180 million), the ‘Elgin Marbles’ debate, but its very purpose.”

Comparing The Charms Of Satellite Radio

Eleven million Americans are now listening to satellite radio. “All these programming and equipment innovations are taking place while broadcast radio does almost nothing to protect its lucrative – but threatened – franchise. The drive-time commercial cram on broadcast radio remains one of the biggest frustrations of the Denver commute: When you punch all six presets and hit a commercial on every one, satellite sounds better all the time.”

Putting Tech Change In Perspective

Feeling overwhelmed by the pace of change and the flood of new things to deal with? “Impressive change took place between 1950 and 2000, with the arrival of the computer, the Internet, cell phones, moon landings. But this period was no more impressive than 1810 to 1860 in which telegraph, railroads, the reaper, new printing technology, among other things, hit.”

Peter Oundjian Hired As Artistic Advisor To Detroit Symphony

Oundjian is also music director of the Toronto Symphony. In detroit “Oundjian will focus on artistic planning, helping select repertoire, shaping upcoming seasons and devising special initiatives such as festivals or other ventures. Oundjian (UN-jen), who was previously engaged to conduct two weeks in Detroit next season, will lead three weeks in 2007-08. The move promises to deepen the scope and ambition of DSO classical programming, which in the eyes of some aficionados and DSO players has lacked imagination during the transition after former music director Neeme Jarvi stepped down in 2005.”

DC Shakespeare Theatre Building New Home

Washington DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company is hoping to open a second home in October 2007. The new home will feature a repertory style of presentation twice a year. “Shakespeare Theatre officials said they are still raising money for the new complex, the price tag for which has increased from $77 million to $85 million.The company has $55 million and needs about $30 million more.”

University Presses Have To Adapt

University press publishers gather to talk about their business. Like all publishers, the university presses are having to reinvent their business. This spring the presses were hit with a glut of textbook returns. It seems students are getting more saavy about used textbooks. One expert warned that “today’s students, tomorrow’s faculty have grown up with technology. This Net Generation’s expectations are defined by Google, Amazon.com, and eBay. They expect everything to be online and everything to be free. They have become a visual culture. They’re moving away from text.”

The Tri-Continental Play

Play on Earth is “the world’s first attempt to stage a theatrical event in three separate continents at the same time. The scheme is the brainchild of Station House Opera’s artistic director Julian Maynard Smith, who has pioneered the art of linking up live theatrical performances via the internet.”

Remaking The Public Theatre

“With its reach, history, and unique mix of uptown glamour and downtown ideals, the Public has long occupied a pivotal place in New York culture, but New York is not what it was when Joseph Papp, the Public’s founder, outdueled Robert Moses to bring Shakespeare to the park. At a complicated time, the place has a uniquely complicated leader. Oskar Eustis is bold and cautious, radical and judicious.”