“The Mississippi native and longtime Memphis resident wrote a stirring, three-volume, 3,000-page history of the Civil War, as well as six novels.”
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Proms On Trafalgar Big Screen
For the first time, the First Night at the Proms will be telecast live in Trafalgar Square. “A big screen will be erected, beaming live footage from the concert at the Royal Albert Hall.”
Met Plans Mozart On A Diet
The Metropolitan Opera is planning a reduced 90-minute version of Mozart’s “Magic Flute”. “The short version (the full version runs more than three hours with intermission) is a test of what could become a new way of attracting audiences, said Joseph Volpe, the opera house’s general manager. The performances, to take place in the winter holidays of the 2006-7 season, will be aimed at both children and adults.”
“Mambo” Cancels Broadway Plans
“The Mambo Kings” won’t be going to Broadway after all. Producers canceled a planned opening in August. The “lavish” $12 million show was critically panned in a tryout engagement in San Francisco that ended June 19.
Met Opera Signs Deals With Musicians, Singers…
The Metropolitan Opera has new contracts with the unions that represent musicians, singers and dancers. “Both are five-year contracts that freeze wages for two years, then provide for a 4 percent increase in the third year and 2 percent increases in the fourth and fifth years.”
Big Thefts At France’s National Library; Curator Questioned
About 30,000 books (including about 2000 classified as rare) are missing from France’s Biblioteque national, and the library’s chief curator is being questioned. “The curator, who has denied the allegations, is the subject of one of half a dozen police inquiries into suspected thefts at the institution, which was founded in the 16th century and, as France’s principal copyright and legal deposit library, holds some 35m books, documents, manuscripts, maps, plans and photos.”
Charge: France’s Literary Prizes Rigged
The integrity of France’s major literary awards were called into question this week by a government anti-corruption probe. “There is an evident risk of a conflict of interest. Moreover, the conditions in which the jury members are recruited or co-opted, often for life, are not exactly transparent, which makes them suspect as a matter of principle. France’s major literary awards such as the Prix Femina, the Prix Médicis and – most prestigious of all – the Prix Goncourt have long been accused of rigging their votes, taking it in turns to reward big publishers.”
Violinist Isidore Cohen, 82
“Isidore Cohen, a violinist who, as a member of the Juilliard String Quartet and the Beaux Arts Trio, was an important chamber music performer and a teacher, died on Thursday in the Bronx.”
Judge Rules Graham Dances Belong To Company
A U.S. District Court judge in New York has found that seven Graham dances — including the seminal works “Embattled Garden” and “Phaedra” — belong to the center rather than to Ron Protas, Graham’s personal heir.”
Why Has Movie Attendance Plunged? We’ve Seen Them All Before!
Everywhere you look this summer, there are movie remakes and retreads. “Is it any wonder this avalanche of retreads has come at a time when theater attendance is headed toward its lowest level since 1996? Young moviegoers, who make up the bulk of film audiences, crave surprise, sensation and authenticity. So if the multiplexes are full of homogenized pop baubles, why wouldn’t more people than ever be happy to stay home and fire up a DVD on their new plasma-screen TV?”