Philip Johnson, dean of American architects, has died. “By his own description, Mr. Johnson was an architectural traditionalist. But in his view, the best use of tradition was “to improve it, twist it and mold it to make something new of it.” He once described architecture as “exuberance, like sex or taste.”
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Congress Considers Upping Broadcast Fines
The US Congress will consider increasing “indecency” fines on broadcasters. “Fines of up to $500,000 (£266,582) could be imposed each time broadcasters transmit nudity or profanities. The proposal, unveiled in the House of Representatives, also seeks to revoke a broadcaster’s licence after three violations have been committed.”
Edinburgh Festivals And Their £135 million Impact
A new study says that the Edinburgh Festival generates £135 million for Scotland’s economy and generates 2,900 full-time jobs. So the Festivals will try to make a case for more public investment in the annual arts fests…
Elvis Costello Opera To Get Danish Production
Rocker Elvis Costello is writing his first opera – The Secret Arias – and it’s been chosen for a debut in the new Copenhagen Opera House. “The opera is based on famed adventure author Hans Christian Andersen’s romance with the Swedish soprano Jenny Lind. It will be performed on the opera’s experimental stage during the 2006–2007 season.”
A Philip Johnson Legacy
“Johnson’s own architecture received mixed reviews and often startled the public and his fellow architects. Because of his frequent changes of style, he was often accused of pandering to fashion and of designing buildings that were facile and shallow. Yet he created several designs, including the Glass House, the sculpture garden of the Museum of Modern Art, and the pre-Columbian gallery at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington that are widely considered among the architectural masterworks of the 20th century.”
Same Role Next Decade
It’s common for musicians to return to works of music throughout their careers; an old conductor’s Beethoven is decidedly different from the young. Such relationships with a work of art are rarer in the theatre. So what’s it like to play the same role in a play separated by decades?
How Podcasting Will Change Radio
“Radio executives can afford to write off podcasters now because there just aren’t enough listeners to make it a worthwhile. But when 20,000 “high-value demographic” listeners regularly tune into a show, that show will attract advertisers. And advertisers will attract radio stations. It’s a trend I call “program backdooring” — where the show will develop enough of an audience to make a ‘real’ radio station take notice.”
The Worst Day Of The Year, Scientifically Speaking? (Relax, It Was Yesterday)
We thought about putting this story up yesterday, but decided nah… why ruin the day? Anyway, a professor devised an equation to determine the worst day of the year. And came up with January 24. “The equation is broken down into seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.”
Are The Oscars Losing Their Allure?
“The glaring problem facing the Oscars is that when you have too many contests, one on top of the other, they begin to cancel each other out. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the statues, has tried to ease the problem by shortening the season in the last couple of years, moving its ceremony to late February from a customary slot in late March. But relentless campaigning still yields grueling political elections without much surprise. A collective yawn has begun to rise. A cover story in this week’s Variety traces the long-term decline in the television ratings of all awards shows, including the Oscars. The consensus is that the format desperately needs overhaul.”
Florida Orchestra Signs Contract With Musicians
After about 10 months of on-again, off-again negotiations, musicians of the Florida Orchestra ratified a labor contract Friday. Terms of their three-year agreement with the board of trustees include a base salary that rises from $25,120 in the current season to $30,090 in the 2006-07 season.