It’s been nearly a decade since the Vienna Philharmonic was ordered by the Austrian government to begin accepting women into the orchestra, and after complying with the letter of the law by making its part-time female harp player a full member, the Phil has continued with its all-male hiring practices. But this weekend, an event which would be yawn-inducing to most other ensembles will make history in Vienna, when Australian conductor Simone Young will lead the Phil, the first woman to do so since Anne Manson in 1994.
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Three Familiar Names Shortlisted For Composer Prize
“Harrison Birtwistle, Michael Nyman, and John Tavener are among the composers on the shortlist for the British Composer Awards, which was announced on November 4 by the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters. The awards, which are presented in association with BBC Radio 3, will be handed out at a ceremony at Ironmonger’s Hall in London on December 9.”
Juilliard Drama Icon To Step Down
The Juilliard School’s director of drama is stepping down to devote himself full-time to his other job, as head of the Washington, D.C.-based Shakespeare Theatre Company. The company is preparing to open a new 776-seat theatre in Washington, and Michael Kahn felt he could no longer juggle both jobs. “He has taught at Juilliard since 1968 and run the drama division since 1992… The list of actors Kahn has helped train includes Val Kilmer, Laura Linney, Frances Conroy, Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone, Christine Baranski, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Bradley Whitford and on and on.”
Reality TV, Meet Your Melodramatic Soul Mate
Classical music irrelevant? Hah! One of the latest reality-TV efforts being pitched to American networks focuses squarely on the appropriately melodramatic world of opera. Think of the possibilities! “Category-5 star fits, backstabbing left and right, failed high notes, plus Pavarotti-esque quantities of food… The proposed scenarios for the show’s first few episodes have [the main character] handling financial problems over long distance, often just before going on stage costumed in the standard Rossini-opera wigs and tights. His 22-year marriage is full of tension. This father of two sons talks about three months at home being ‘way too long. I’m a road guy.'”
Vaulting Ahead Of The Competition, Thanks To Microsoft
When a Microsoft research scientist offered the Oregon Shakespeare Festival free software along with his usual cash contribution a few years ago, festival officials jumped at the opportunity to boost their techno-capability. “The festival’s technical staff put together a lengthy wish list of software, some of it basic operating system software, some of it more specialized, and far more expensive… New computers were purchased, and a wireless network was built. A small group of programmers at the festival was able to write customized software to cue lights, position scenery, keep track of props and costumes, project synchronized video, sell tickets and administer the database of members.” There isn’t a single aspect of the festival that hasn’t been transformed by the new equipment.
Punk Princess Clears Space In Her Collection
“Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis likes motorcycles and rock stars, lavish parties and jewels. She is known among the international jet set as the ‘punk princess’ who collects contemporary art. But sometimes, she cleans house. Last night she put 50 works by some of today’s trendiest artists – including Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Cindy Sherman and Paul McCarthy – up for sale at Phillips, dePury & Company… The sale totaled $6.3 million, [but] art dealers familiar with her collection say she has held on to the best work.”
Congress May Kill Off Public Access TV
Depending on where you sit, public access television (those grainy, amateurish channels on American cable systems that run a seemingly endless stream of school board meetings, religious services, and homemade shows with hosts who often appear to be drunk, disturbed or both) is either a vital method of keeping the airwaves in the hands of the public, or a pointless nuisance which has far outlived its usefulness. “Now, though, the future of the channels deemed ‘electronic soapboxes’ in 1972 by the Federal Communications Commission is uncertain, as proposed legislation about how the telecommunications industry is regulated winds its way through Congress.”
Grokster Follows Napster Down The Path Of Legality
The file-sharing service known as Grokster has thrown in the towel in its battle against the recording industry, which has accused it of facilitating online piracy of copyrighted material. As part of the settlement, Grokster will halt distribution of its software entirely and pay $50 million in damages. It is also acknowledging on its website what everyone already knew: that trading copyrighted music and movies online is illegal. Like Napster before it, Grokster plans to reinvent itself as a legal music download service.
Giving Whole New Meaning To “Crossover”
The East Village Opera Company is almost guaranteed to make purists groan, but the bare-bones company has suddenly become the talk of New York. “It features [two vocalists], a seven-piece rock band and a string quartet… They take classic operatic arias and perform them to rock grooves with electrifying results. Are you ready for a version of ‘La Donna E Mobile’ that winds up feeling a lot like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’? You may not think so, but it works amazingly well and the group’s debut CD on Universal is already causing ripples in both the classical and rock music scenes.”
Baltimore Scales Back D.C. Season
When the Baltimore Symphony announced that it would play an ambitious season of concerts at the newly constructed Strathmore Music Center in suburban Washington, D.C., in addition to its home schedule in Baltimore, critics noted that the move was a direct incursion into the National Symphony’s territory, and questioned whether there was enough consumer interest to support the move. Apparently, there isn’t. Ticket sales for many BSO shows at Strathmore have been sluggish, and with the BSO running a deficit, the orchestra has made the decision to cut back on its visits to Washington. Twelve concerts have been scrapped in the current season alone, with more cuts possible next year. The good news is that the BSO’s traditional classical concerts at Strathmore are drawing well.