Why did the Louvre decide to expand in “one of France’s most impoverished regions, due to be built on the site of a derelict coal pit. Lens is currently a cultural desert, famous only for its football team and its deserted coal mines. The city, around 40 miles inland from Calais, was badly hit by industrial crises in the 1990s and unemployment stands at 12.7%, or three percentage points above the national average.”
Blog
Woman Conductor Breaks Barrier At SF Opera
Earlier this season Sara Jobin made history as the first woman ever to conduct a mainstage opera at the San Francisco Opera. “At this point the only people who have trouble with the idea of a woman conductor are sometimes board members, especially older women who have had to fight the hard battles themselves. They look at me and think, ‘Why would an orchestra pay attention to you?’ But of course the orchestra doesn’t pay attention to me, they pay attention to the music.”
King Tut Returns
For the first time since 1979, the treasures of Egyptian King Tutankhamen are visiting the United States. “The exhibit, which is now touring Europe, would open in June at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and go on to at least three other American cities. The exhibit will allow the American public the first glimpse in a generation of the ancient Egyptian treasures.”
Union Performers Sue San Francisco Opera
Union performers are suing San Francisco Opera in part over performances at a birthday party for music director Donald Runnicles. “The suit, brought by singers, dancers and production staff members, accused the opera of refusing to go to arbitration or to follow grievance procedures over the charges. ‘They blatantly ignore us. They just kind of do what they want to do, and if it happens to violate the contract, ‘Oops!’ “
Germany’s Debate Over Public TV
“Under a decades old system, Germany levies a fee of $21 a month on every household with a TV. The resulting $7 billion a year funds the largest public broadcasting system in Europe, encompassing film production, 22 TV channels, and more than 50 radio stations. The British Broadcasting Corp., by comparison, got $5.2 billion from taxpayers in the latest fiscal year. But Germans increasingly wonder whether they’re getting their money’s worth. In terms of substance there is hardly a difference anymore between the public and private stations.”
DVD Wars – Which Format Will Win?
Hollywood is dividing up over which new standard for DVD’s should be adopted. “Privately, entertainment-industry executives say they can’t afford a format war and don’t want the confusion that slowed the early adoption of videocassette recorders when consumers were faced with choosing between Betamax and VHS.”
Should NPR Go Private?
Should National Public Radio be privatized? Its listenership is big enough to compete with commercial radio. “`Morning Edition’ and `All Things Considered,’ NPR’s two signature news shows, are now the second and third most popular nationally distributed shows on U.S. radio (after Rush Limbaugh). Public radio is no longer in the business, or the anti-business, of serving minority tastes.”
Smiley Leaving NPR
Tavis Smiley is ending his show and leaving National Public Radio. “After all that we’ve accomplished towards our goal of seeking a broader, more diverse and younger audience for public radio. NPR’s own research has confirmed that NPR has simply failed to meaningfully reach out to a broad spectrum of Americans who would benefit from public radio but simply don’t know it exists or what it offers.”
Diana Memorial Closed Again
The Diana memorial fountain in London is being closed again for emergency repairs. “Metal bars will be fitted under the bridges which span the £3.6million fountain because of fears that children could become trapped under them. The fountain has been a source of embarrassment since opening in the summer. Four visitors, including a mother and daughter, required an ambulance after slipping on the wet granite during its first two weeks, and another twisted her ankle slipping on damp grass next to the fountain.”
Downloading Continues Despite Threats
New research indicates that despite legal threats and aggressive anti-downloading efforts, the rate of downloading hasn’t declined in the past year. “While some people would have been scared off by the legal actions, others will be all the more determined to do it.”