“On Tuesday morning, the estate and family of Tolkien issued a terse statement in which they announced their ‘wish to make clear that they did not approve of, authorise or participate in the making of this film'” — titled Tolkien and starring Nicholas Hoult and Lily collins as Prof. and Mrs. T. — “and that ‘they do not endorse it or its content in any way’.” – The Guardian
Blog
UK Museums To Compare Detailed Visitor Figures With Those From Other Leisure Outlets
“A consortium of 18 organisations, including the Tate group of galleries, the British Museum and Imperial War Museums, has contracted market researchers DJS Research for a major project that will assess visitor experience, satisfaction and attendance over the next four years” — and will compare the findings with similar data from such attractions as theme parks. – Arts Professional
Soprano Heather Harper, 88
“She graced the concert and opera stages of the world in roles that ranged from Ellen Orford in Britten’s Peter Grimes – where her sympathy for the character drew a near-definitive portrayal – to the Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier.” – The Guardian
Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Extraordinary Female Iranian Artist, Dead At 96
Are These Two Guys In India Building The World’s Largest Public Library?
That’s how they’re describing it, but not really — it’s more like the world’s largest poetry-in-the-subways-and-streets project, and it’s called StickLit. – The Guardian
John Coltrane’s Appeal: He Was An Obsessive Creative.
Coltrane is the archetypal creative obsessive intent on finding unheard approaches to the building blocks of music, from the arc of his melodies to the rhythmic drive of his solos to the harmonic framework for his songs. – Times Literary Supplement
Why (And How) Conductors Matter
There are many ways to lead an orchestra, but whatever method you assume — that of a mystical shaman, a sports coach, a traffic cop or some combination of them all — Mark Wigglesworth insists that all conductors need one essential ingredient: confidence. Without that, he writes, “you are like a bird without feathers. As Adlai Stevenson said, ‘It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.’ ” – Washington Post
PBS CEO: Ending Federal Funding Would Kill Rural Public Television Stations
Paula Kerger: Some in urban centers like New York and Washington, DC, might be able to get by with the money they get from other sources, including corporate underwriters and individual donations. But the threat is a more “existential” threat for stations in rural areas that “are not going to make it … unless there is some federal support.” – recode
Arkansas Replaces Confederate Statue In US Capitol Building With… Johnny Cash
Actually, two statues are being replaced. Governor Asa Hutchinson says
they are not being removed because of their controversial past, but rather because of a decision by the state “to update the statues with representatives of our more recent history.” – Washington Post
Fifty Years Of History: The Kennedy Center Ponders How To Connect Its Past
“It takes a substantial walking tour to get a sense of the holdings, which amount to 9,000 cubic feet of files, images and who knows what else, according to Eileen Andrews, vice president for public relations, who has been tasked with shepherding the archives out of darkness.” – Washington Post