“Common wisdom has it that the social networking Web site is primarily a hangout for teenagers and 20-somethings, where middle-aged cops can entrap pervs preying on teenagers. But savvy classical music marketers are discovering that if you want to attract young people, you’ve got to go where they are. Thus MySpace is becoming a valuable marketing tool for some of today’s biggest classical stars – and is poised to be even more important as young musicians promote their own careers.”
Blog
Tosca’s Allure
“Tosca remains one of the ten most performed operas around the world and there is no arguing with the turnstile. Its secret, I suspect, is twofold. Like The Mousetrap, most people know how it is going to end, which means they can take guests again and again with a lightly-worn air of superiority. The attraction of repetition is reinforced by the richness of interpretative possibility.”
Do We Overthink What We’re Trying To Appreciate?
“Being culturally and historically informed is one thing, and having an artistic experience is quite another. The danger nowadays is that with musical scholarship calling the shots in ‘early music’, and so much energy devoted to reviving mediocre works, we’re losing sight of that distinction.”
Whatever Happened To Diversity?
“Once upon a time, when television operated in a more stable environment, executives yapped endlessly about diversity. But has a litany of more pressing concerns today — multi-platform delivery, audience fragmentation, online competition — pushed the issue of representation into the shadows?”
SF Chorus Leader Stepping Down
The San Francisco Symphony Chorus is one of the world’s best, and for the last 23 years, it has been helmed by one man. “[Vance] George is recognized as one of the nation’s premier choral conductors for his ability to shape the Chorus’ sound in a range of musical styles.” George is retiring this summer at the age of 72.
The Measure Of A (Very Rich) Man
One of Canada’s most prominent art collectors died this week, and some are saying that the loss of Kenneth Thomson will leave a gaping void in the country’s art market. “Even while helping to buttress the high end of the market for the rarest major Canadian works, observers say Thomson indirectly broadened the interest for lesser known and contemporary Canadian art.”
Dallas In The Black
“The Dallas Symphony Orchestra is ending the 2005-06 season with a balanced budget and an uptick in overall attendance and ticket revenues. But the news isn’t all good. Attendance at classical concerts declined 6 percent, and the annual fund fell 6 percent short of its $8,025,000 goal.”
Can Filmmakers Help The Arab World Evolve?
Two controversial new Arab films are stirring discussion in Egypt and Morocco about the values and policies of governments and religious leaders in the region. “With internal and external pressure on the Arab world to liberalize, movies are becoming a key outlet of free expression and a format for examining evolving mores. Like activists, journalists, and bloggers who have been testing the boundaries, movie directors are also pushing the limits of openness and influence.”
In Restructuring Move, PBS Hires KQED Exec
PBS has hired the chief content officer at San Francisco public broadcaster KQED to fill a newly created position at the network. “[John] Boland, who starts in September, will oversee television programming, new media, education and promotion. As part of a restructuring, PBS will close its small Los Angeles office… Boland’s appointment is one of the first strategic moves by Paula A. Kerger, who took over as PBS’s president and chief executive officer in March.”
Google Gets Into The Shakespeare Business
Google has launched a site devoted entirely to the Bard that “allows U.S. users to browse through the full texts of his 37 plays. Readers can even plug in words, such as ‘to be or not to be’ from ‘Hamlet,’ and immediately be taken to that part of the play.”