A quarry operation in the North Yorkshire section of England is threatening the survival of several 5000-year-old “vast dumbbell-shaped earthen hedges” which archaeologists say are some of the most significant manmade constructions in the UK. More than 600 protests have been filed with the local planning commission.
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Seville Music Festival Postponed Indefinitely
“Ambitious plans for an open-air production of Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ in Seville, Spain, and for a music festival of which it was to be the centerpiece, were postponed indefinitely Wednesday. Organizers said they were unable to find a top-level conductor to replace Lorin Maazel, the music director of the New York Philharmonic, who earlier this week withdrew from the project on medical grounds.”
Did Mostly Mozart Just Need New Leadership?
If there was ever any doubt that a conductor can revitalize a struggling ensemble, Louis Langrée is putting it to rest with his debut this summer at the helm of New York’s Mostly Mozart festival. In retrospect, says Anthony Tommassini, the fault for the festival’s notorious struggles in recent years must be laid at the feet of Langrée’s predecessor, Gerard Schwarz. “It’s sad to have to say this so definitively, but Mr. Schwarz, though a tenacious defender of the basic concept of the festival over his 17-year-tenure as director, was just wrong for the job. He lacked a compelling artistic vision and was too limited as a conductor.”
Photographer Cartier-Bresson Dies
Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of the 20th century’s most important photographers, has died in the south of France, at age 96. He was a pioneer of photojournalism as well as co-founder of the influential Magnum picture agency.
How Do You “Covertly” Install A 20-Foot Statue?
“Guerrilla artist Banksy has covertly cemented a 20-foot (6-metre) satirical statue protesting at the British legal system into a central London square. Banksy, best-known for sneaking his work into the Tate, has depicted the figure of justice as a prostitute with leather boots and a thong… The location, an ancient green just outside the City of London, was chosen because it was the site of Banksy’s last arrest.”
The Instant Concert (Thanks To Technology)
In London, “organizing using the Web, cell phones and instant messaging, upstart guitar bands are staging secret, spontaneous concerts at unconventional venues in the latest online music craze, dubbed ‘guerrilla gigging’.”
Maazel Has Emergency Eye Surgery
Conductor Lorin Maazel has withdrawn from conducting Carmen at the Seville Festival in Spain because of emergency eye surgery. “Due to this surgery, doctors responsible strictly recommended that Maestro Maazel should not undertake any physical activities for the next four to six weeks, including conducting.”
Not Lost Beatles Songs After All
Last month brought reports that a man had “bought an old suitcase at an Australian flea market for $36 (U.S.) and found it filled with memorabilia and hours of unreleased Beatles songs. Speculation is rampant that the suitcase contains the secret stash of late Beatles associate Mal Evans, which has been missing for years. Except, of course, it’s not true. The stuff in the suitcase dated from 1995, 20 years after his death.”
Art And The Business Of Art
There is “an emerging camp of artists who see today’s shifting marketplace as one that can support the lives and work of artists—business-savvy artists. And their idea could change the face of fine arts higher education. ‘This is not just about getting artists to sell their work; this is about helping artists live a life with art in it, which can mean anything from starting neighborhood arts projects to placing one’s work in corporate settings to attract attention’.”
UK Raids On Pirates Net 57
“Anti-fraud investigators swooped on a number of markets and car boot sales in the UK last weekend, netting over half a million pounds worth of DVDs and CDs. Fifty-seven people were arrested for piracy. The joint investigation found people selling films such as Troy, Spider-Man 2 and Shrek 2.”