With criticism coming from all sides over the issue of antiquities acquisition, some of the more prominent people at the helm of America’s great museums are making a concerted effort to explain to the public their role in the art collection process, and to allay concerns that the works on display may be ill-gotten gains. “In large part, [the drive to ‘repatriate’ works of art] has grown out of a growing antiquities debate: is knowledge better served by collecting and exhibiting objects in museums or preserving them in their original archaeological context?”
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Foer To Head TNR
The enigmatic political magazine everyone loves to hate has a new editor, and for once, the transition seems as if it will be an easy one. The New Republic, which has regularly drawn the ire of partisans on both side of the American political divide, named Franklin Foer as its newest editor-in-chief, succeeding Peter Beinart, who is stepping down of his own volition.
Violist/Conductor Milton Katims Dies
“Milton Katims, a central figure in Seattle’s musical life for nearly a quarter of a century, died Monday. He was 96… As music director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1954 to 1976, he helped transform a part-time, modestly professional orchestra into a major regional ensemble that became a symbol of pride for the city… In addition, Katims was a nationally recognized violist, who continued to perform and record in conjunction with his conducting.”
The Louisville Score: Obstinacy 1, Mediation 0
Three days of mediated talks between the musicians and management of the Louisville Orchestra have yielded no breakthroughs, but both sides have agreed to meet again as soon as possible. As things stand, the orchestra’s president is still threatening to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (that’s the permanent kind) by April 1 if the musicians do not accept a new contract under which the size of the orchestra would be significantly cut back. The musicians continue to believe that the board is ignoring other options for balancing its books in favor of forcing the players into a corner.
Blair Declines To Take Heat Off Jowell
UK Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is not exactly receving a full vote of confidence from her boss, Prime Minister Tony Blair, as she attempts to clear herself and her husband of charges that a bribe from Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi was used to pay off their mortgage. “Tony Blair has been burnt before by leaping to the defence of his closest cabinet colleagues – most recently David Blunkett – only to find them forced to resign as further damning evidence seeps out… The limited support also reflects the difficulties in getting to the bottom of [Jowell’s husband’s] byzantine and controversial business dealings.”
Grover’s Corners Meets Rorem’s Arias
“Aaron Copland wanted to make it an opera. So did Leonard Bernstein. But Thornton Wilder, the author of Our Town, turned both composers down. Now, 68 years after it was written and 30 years after Wilder’s death, the play has made it to the opera stage. Our Town, with music by Ned Rorem and a libretto by J. D. McClatchy, received its premiere [in Bloomington, Indiana] on Friday evening.”
Selling Off Donald Judd
“In an effort to create a $20 million endowment for the support of its permanent installations in New York and Texas, the Donald Judd Foundation has decided to sell about 35 Judd sculptures at Christie’s in New York on May 9.” But not everyone is happy about the idea…
What Shakespeare Looked Like? Who Cares?
“Why all the fuss about Professor Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s “discovery” that the Davenant bust in the Garrick club matches the Darmstadt death mask in Germany and must, therefore, be a true representation of Shakespeare’s physiognomy? Since the provenance of both artefacts depends on the size of a growth on Sheakespeare’s forehead, some people will argue that the revelation ought to be of interest only to a pathologist. And they would be right. What Shakespeare looked like is of no consequence. All that matters is the text and how the author intended it to be interpreted.”
Billy Elliot Comes Up Big At Olivier Awards
“The stage version of Billy Elliot has won four prizes at the Laurence Olivier Awards, including one shared between three of its young stars.”
Digitally Inserted Commercials?
“Blending brand names and products into television shows, as opposed to traditional ads that run during commercial breaks, has gained greater currency in recent years as the industry faces the rising popularity of TiVo and other devices that let viewers skip commercials.
But some industry experts suggest that product placement — digital or otherwise — has limited value in delivering a commercial message. Hollywood producers and writers also have raised concerns about their work being turned into virtual infomercials, and consumer activists have fretted about blurring the line between entertainment content and advertising.”