“One of the hardest things in art, outside of creating it, is to be that very first person who looks at an unknown and his or her work and says: I like it. Any idiot can second the motion. But to look at an unknown and say, ‘You, yes you, you are worthy’—that is different. That means taking a risk, to say yes where probably dozens have already said no. It is also what changes the course of an art form. And this is why I sometimes nurse the suspicion that the real gatekeeper of American literature is not the publisher, not the critic, and not Jack Warner’s fabled ‘schmucks with Underwoods’—i.e., writers. No, it is the schmuck with a Rolodex: the literary agent.”
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Balanchine – Georgian On My Mind
A surprise great ending to New York City Ballet’s Balanchine celebration, when the Georgian State Ballet performs. “Yes, Balanchine was crazy about the Georgian dancers; but the real relevance of their appearance at the State Theatre, the real Balanchine connection, lay in the dancers’ fierce attack, their discipline, their obvious love of what they were doing—these guys and dolls were out there giving their all. After the anemic and despondent work that characterized so many of the season’s earlier performances, it was more than exhilarating, it was thrilling to see this much energy, this absolute command of technique, this uncynical, unironic dedication.”
Payola – You Play, You Pay
How to get your song played on the radio? One word: Payola. “Although some forms of payola were outlawed after the mid-century scandals, various loopholes allowed other incarnations to thrive, under the guise of independent promotion. With money from the record companies, promoters used oblique tactics—subsidies, gifts, “research funds”—to encourage radio stations to add new singles to their playlists. By 2000, tens of millions of dollars a year were being spent on what you might call legal payola, and although bad publicity has severely curtailed the promotion business, paying to play is still integral to the way radio works. Despite its sleazy reputation, payola has a certain rationale.”
An Actors Strike?
Will the actors union call a strike against American theatres? “The Production contract between Equity and the League of American Theatres and Producers expired last week, with tempers suddenly turning hostile at the last minute and both sides leaving the table.”
Pay Copyright Royalties On 300-Year-Old Music?
“The director of Hyperion Records plans to appeal against this week’s high court ruling that the company must pay copyright fees on its recording of a 300-year-old piece of music. The decision could have serious repercussions throughout the world of classical music.”
ENO’s Outdoor Opera Busted By Weather
“English National Opera’s plan to bring high culture to the wide expanses of Trafalgar Square was last night defeated by the British weather. Seven thousand Londoners had snapped up free tickets to watch a live performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. But as heavy rains closed in and forecasters warned of winds gusting up to 35mph, even the 2,000 complimentary ponchos seemed unlikely to protect those braving the soggy Astroturf rolled out over the square’s paving.”
La Scala To Return Home (Briefly)
After three years of renovation, La Scala will move back into its home for the traditional December season premiere. “Opening the season at La Scala will be the same work performed when the theatre opened for business in 1778: Antonio Salieri’s Europa Riconosciuta.” But the welcome home will be brief – the opera company will move out again a few weeks later so the renovation job can be completed.
Seeing (Electronically) The Music In Front Of You
Lee Rosenbaum takes the electronic Concert Companion for a spin. “The constant flitting between commentary, video and the live performers, the glitchy image quality and the need to reboot after several crashes put me in a state of nervous agitation rather than rapt absorption. CoCo’s chief drawback, though, is that words can never adequately translate music. Background reading is helpful, either before or after a concert. But the best way to appreciate a live performance is to switch off all electronic devices and simply employ your ears.”
Study Confirms “Our Worst Fears About American Reading
A new study on American reading habits by the National Endowment for the Arts paints a glum pitcure. “Among its findings are that fewer than half of Americans over 18 now read novels, short stories, plays or poetry; that the consumer pool for books of all kinds has diminished; and that the pace at which the nation is losing readers, especially young readers, is quickening. In addition it finds that the downward trend holds in virtually all demographic areas.”
Vermeer Sells For $30 Million
A Vermeer painting – the first to come on the market in 80 years – has sold for $30 million. “The overflowing salesroom burst into applause when George Gordon, an expert in the Sotheby’s old-master paintings department, took the winning bid by telephone. While the auction house is not saying who the buyer was, it is believed to be Stephen A. Wynn, the Las Vegas casino owner.”