Design critics have been raving about Chicago’s new Millennium Park. But tonight is the real tes, when the first concert is given in the Frank Gehry-designed structure. “The pavilion’s most distinctive features are the curled, stainless steel panels that frame the stage like a bank of gray, shimmering clouds. The stage itself, ample enough for a 100-member orchestra and 150-member chorus, is lined with light reddish-brown Douglas fir. Fixed seating for 4,000 stretches back from the stage, and Millennium Park officials estimate that the lawn, crisscrossed by a metal trellis that holds the amplification system, can hold up to 7,000 more listeners.”
Blog
Have We Put A Halt To Evolution?
“It is easy to argue that many, perhaps most, of us would not have survived to pass on our genes without the benefits of modern technology. Now that we have eliminated many of the worst infectious diseases from our cities, some even say that we are no longer subject to the destiny of natural selection. For 21st-century human beings, could evolution have come to a full stop?”
Ben Cameron To Silicon Valley Arts Leaders:
“Nothing says more about the moment we are in than a report from the Chronicle of Philanthropy that said in fiscal year ’02, charitable giving in this country fell 1.2 percent overall to all causes. Charitable giving to arts and culture fell 26.5 percent in the same year. And as a result, we are facing a moment of unprecedented stress and urgency.”
New Alliance To Copy-Protect Entertainment
“Movie studios, computer chipmakers and consumer electronics companies said Wednesday they are working together to build a new copy-protection standard that would allow home viewers to watch and share high-definition video among various entertainment and portable devices, but prevent pirates from making perfect copies.”
Video Now Tops Music Downloads
Downloads of video have surpassed music. “Films and other files larger than 100MB are becoming the most requested downloads on networks around the world.” Experts estimate that “at least 10 million people are logged on to a peer-to-peer (P2P) network at any time.”
HBO Leads Emmy Nominations
HBO takes a big lead in nominations for this year’s Emmy awards. “The pay cable channel, which has now led the list of nominations four consecutive times, totally dominated the competition this year, taking in 124 nominations, up from its previous high of 109 last year. That was almost double the number of the nearest competitor, NBC, which this year took in just 65 nominations, down from 77 last year.”
Saudi Arabia’s New Cultural Policy
Saudi Arabia says it will undertake a “massive restructuring of the Kingdom’s cultural and antiquities sector,” making it the “cornerstone” of the national tourism policy. “We are not alone in this (focus on cultural tourism). According to the World Tourism Organization, all nations are embracing the increasing interest among world travelers in learning and experiencing other cultures. Cultural tourism today is one of the largest and fastest growing forms of tourism.”
Berkeley Commits to Arts
The city of Berkeley, California has decided to make a major new commitment to the arts. “Affecting thousands of artists and 130 nonprofit organizations, the plan restructures Berkeley’s arts policy, setting a goal of eventually doubling arts grants and improving local artists’ chances of winning further grants.”
Globalism… Hold The Cliches
“As a result of cultural and economic shifts in the art world, exploding globalism, and the high costs of more traditional shows, a growing number of exhibitions both in the US and abroad are devoted to replacing clichéd preconceptions with the vital, modern work of contemporary artists from a wide variety of cultures.”
Sondheim In The Round
At 74, Stephen Sondheim remains “available to his work, ever ready to amend and develop. As a result no two revivals are likely to sound the same. The small-bore Sweeney Todd at Trafalgar Square at the end of the month will be worlds apart from the full-orchestra Royal Opera House production, yet both are true to concept, as are many fringe and amateur stagings; there are 17 Sweeneys this summer across the UK and North America. For a man without a Broadway blockbuster or a pop-chart song, Sondheim has unrivalled diversity to his appeal.”