This month’s Vanity Fair “green” cover has a pedigree. “A spokeswoman for the magazine acknowledged Wednesday that the cover photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Al Gore, shot by Annie Leibovitz, was “inspired” by “Ballet Society,” a 1948 portrait by Irving Penn of George Balanchine and three collaborators. Although there’s no mention anywhere in the magazine of the connection, the composition of the two photos is virtually identical, down to the leafy garland on Roberts’ head.”
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Boston Station Expands Classical Programming
We hear about classical music dying on radio. But Boston’s WGBH is expanding its classical music offerings. The station is launch a new high-definition station to offer more classical music programming…
Italy Wrestles With Artifact Theft
Italy has a huge antiquities theft problem. “In an average week, carabinieri fly helicopters over archaeological sites taking aerial photographs to reveal illegal diggings. They go on offshore dives to prevent unauthorized underwater excavations. Still other officers in their stylish black-and-red uniforms show up unannounced at antique shops, auction houses and outdoor markets, to videotape items for sale to match against the more than 2.5 million missing objects cataloged in the art squad’s vast database.”
Abridged Beethoven? I Don’t Think So!
“Speed kills. That used to refer to the dangers of driving too fast, and sometimes to the drug. Now it more ominously refers to the unhealthy pace at which we live our lives, coerced by rampaging technology into cramming as much as possible into our waking hours. This isn’t good for an individual’s well-being. But even if you’re indifferent to everyone’s need for a little wa, the bean counter in you should appreciate this: It’s also counterproductive.”
“Producers” To Hit Vegas
A year ago Las Vegas was being talked up as the new Broadway as high-profile shows opened in fancy theatres built for them. It hasn’t exactly worked out as planned. But producers of “The Producers” are still eager to give the Silver State a try with a 90-minute version of the Broadway hit. “The intermissionless Las Vegas version of the musical, which has a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan and a score by Brooks, will be directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, who also supervised the original stage production.”
Opus Dei Asks Sony For Da Vinci Code Disclaimer
Opus Dei, the Catholic order portrayed in “The Da Vinci Code” as murderers, have asked Sony to issue a disclaimer that its forthcoming movie is “entirely fictional.” “Such a decision by Sony would be an expression of respect toward Jesus Christ, the history of the Church and the religious beliefs of viewers.”
An Artist Too Big For A Retrospective?
Retrospectives are the traditional and accepted means for taking a comprehensive career look at a major artist. But what happens if an artist’s output proves too big to be contained by a retrospective? Eric Gibson argues that sculptor David Smith is one such artist…
Canadian Government Stops Talk By Scientist/Novelist
Canada’s Environment minister has blocked a talk by a leading government environmental scientist about his novel. The book “is set in the not-too-distant future when global warming has made many parts of the world too hot to live in and has prompted a war between Canada and the U.S. over water resources.”
Smelled Any Good Movies Lately?
Japanese cinemas are adding smell to their theatres. “Seven fragrances will waft from machines under back row seats during historical adventure The New World. A floral smell will accompany love scenes, with a mixture of peppermint and rosemary for tear-jerking moments. Cinemas across the country will be able to download programmes to control various sequences of fragrances for other upcoming films.”
Have All The Original Films Been Done?
Is it true that all the movie ideas have been taken and that “all of the great artistic statements have been made, and today’s artists are capable only of rehashing what was done in the past?” Dan Brown disagrees: “It saddens me that there are people who actually believe originality is over. The necessary corollory to that line of thought, of course, is that we should simply give up making films and every other kind of art. But I think this is all just a smokescreen…”