It wasn’t easy for internationally acclaimed architect Richard Rogers to make it in New York, but last week’s announcement that he would design one of the new Ground Zero towers solidified his reputation in America, as it had already been solidified in his native Britain. “He has long been a persuasive, articulate and often lonely voice on the importance of design and density in cities. His practice is famously run with a constitution, the directors earning a maximum of six times the salary of the lowest-paid architect, and last year £1m was donated to charity.”
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Report: Minorities Underserved By Industry
A report issued by the UK’s federal Arts Council says that publishers and booksellers are neglecting minority groups, citing research that says “only 50 of the top 5,000 best-selling books in 2006 so far are by black and minority ethnic writers.”
Barenboim To La Scala? Rumor Mill Says Yes
Several European newspapers are reporting that opera insiders expect conductor Daniel Barenboim to shortly be named music director at Italy’s famed La Scala opera house, succeeding Riccardo Muti. Barenboim will wrap up his tenure as music director of the Chicago Symphony next month. “Ironically, Muti, 64, who resigned from La Scala in April 2005 after acrimonious relations with orchestra members, is considered one of the leading candidates for Barenboim’s Chicago post.”
Alsop, DiDonato Take Home Royal Phils
The UK’s Royal Philharmonic Society has handed out its annual classical music awards, and conductor Marin Alsop took home the prize as BBC Radio listeners’ favorite person in the business. “American soprano Joyce DiDonato was named best singer for her performance of Rosina in the Barber of Seville,” and a Welsh National Opera production of Wozzeck took top honors for musical and dramatic excellence.
The Best Composers You’ve Never Heard Of
Contrary to the belief of some, there are plenty of top-notch composers hard at work around the world. But you probably haven’t heard of most of them, because there’s a lot more to becoming famous than just being good at what you do. The funny thing is, though, that composers who achieve fame in America are frequently unknown in the UK, or continental Europe, and vice versa. How can that happen, with the music world being as small as it is? Well, it’s complicated…
Smithsonian Defends Its TV Deal
“Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lawrence M. Small defended the Smithsonian’s television development deal with CBS/Showtime Networks yesterday, saying the agreement was not reached in secret and that restrictions in the contract would affect only a very small number of filmmakers. The Smithsonian will not release the contract; it will not even say how long it runs. Filmmakers have raised questions about the new policy, which can bar independent commercial documentary makers from more than incidental use of Smithsonian materials.”
NEA To Promote Book Clubs
“Uncle Sam wants you to join a book club. The National Endowment for the Arts has created ‘The Big Read,’ a program that will sponsor community reading groups throughout the country. Like the NEA’s ‘Poetry Out Loud,’ a national competition that was formed last year, the new initiative is a response to the organization’s 2004 study, “Reading at Risk,” which reported a dramatic rise in nonreading.”
Why The Art Market Won’t Crash Again (Maybe)
There’s no doubt about it: modern art is in a bull market, with major works being sold for huge sums seemingly every week. “At the moment, there is no evidence that the art market is about to repeat the crash of the early 1990s, which still scars the collective consciousness of everybody involved in it… One reason for optimism is that there is a much wider spread of buyers than there was in 1990.”
Canada Sends Venice A Giant Sweater
“SweaterLodge, Canada’s official entry for the architecture portion of this year’s Venice Biennale, is an enormous tent in the shape of a pullover made from 350 square metres of bright orange polar fleece. The multimedia exhibit is a big, bold, warm and witty commentary on urban culture. The biannual event, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this fall, is one of the most prestigious in the world of architecture. So why is our Canadian team receiving such a chilly reception from government funding agencies and potential corporate sponsors?”
Among Musicians, This Is Known As A Demotion
Most conductors are musicians first, of course, but it is fairly rare for a great conductor to begin his career as a great orchestral musician. (This may have something to do with orchestral musicians’ well-known hatred of most conductors.) But when the Chamber Orchestra of Europe celebrates its 25th anniversary next week, the man on the podium will be Scotsman Douglas Boyd, who rose to prominence as the COE’s star oboist, and who has since crafted an unlikely second career as a highly regarded stick-waver.