As cities go, Detroit does not have a good reputation. Decades of urban blight and civic mismanagement left the city in a hole which it has only recently begun to climb out of. But when the Detroit Symphony opens its new $60 million expansion of Orchestra Hall this week, it will represent the latest push by the community to revitalize the urban core. For the DSO, the project means a chance to continue playing downtown, and to do so in one of the finest performance complexes in the nation. For the project’s major benefactor, who admits that he was never much of a music fan, it means an opportunity to jumpstart the turnaround in one of Detroit’s most blighted neighborhoods.
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Musicians Walk Out Of Charlotte Talks
Striking musicians of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra returned to the bargaining table on Friday, but walked out again two hours later, when it became clear that the CSO’s management had made no substantive changes to their original proposal, which included wage cuts and a shortened season. No further talks have been scheduled, and the Charlotte strike is now three weeks old.
Are Method Actors Worth The Trouble?
Method acting is arguably America’s greatest contribution to the world of film. But these days, many method actors seem hesitant even to admit to using the techinique, which involves the complete immersion of oneself in the character. In fact, the term “method actor” seems to have become synonymous with “difficult prima donna.” And that’s a shame, says Geoff Pevere: “As derided as the method has historically been as the refuge of spoiled, unwashed and overindulged millionaire bohemians, it stood for something which has now apparently been pronounced dead: The presumption that there was more to a performance — and to the movie that contained it — than what appeared on-screen.”
Broadcasting From The City’s Heart
Pittsburgh public radio station WQED has unveiled a new downtown satellite studio, which the station and the city hope will pave the way for a revitalized cultural district to begin drawing crowds. The studio will be used for live broadcasts five nights a week, focusing on whatever is currently going on in the cultural district. Live performances and interviews will be scheduled on the fly, with performers able to make a quick stop at the studio before or after their main appearance of the night.
Democracy Conquers London. Is New York Next?
“Leave it to Michael Frayn, author of the Tony Award- winning Copenhagen, to take a 30-year-old European political scandal and turn it into a play that’s packing the National Theatre to the rafters. The play is Democracy, and it’s about the spy scandal that brought down Willy Brandt, the West German chancellor who reconciled his country with its communist neighbors in the East. Already, the groundwork is being laid for a Broadway transfer, probably in the spring.”
Why Not Just Pass A Law And Make Everyone Read It?
Apparently, it’s not enough to have produced the best-selling children’s book series of all time. The good folks at Scholastic, American publisher of the Harry Potter books, are launching a new ad campaign designed to draw adults of all demographics into the Hogwartian fold. A new series of print ads aimed at the 18-35 set, and specifically focusing on such voracious consumers of literature as bikers and skate punks, will begin running in select magazines this fall.
The Soldier Field Debate: Monstrosity or Magnificent?
As Chicagoans begin to adjust to the new look of historic Soldier Field, home to the football Bears, an intense PR campaign is being waged in an effort to shout down the folks who are calling the renovated stadium an architectural joke. But somehow, even the best slogans and outreach efforts fizzle somewhat when the public gets another up-close look at what one Chicago critic has dubbed “the eyesore on Lake Shore.”
Shakespeare Hits The Road
This year, the National Endowment for the Arts is promoting an unprecedented 15-month, 100-city tour of Shakespearean drama. The idea for the tour came from former NEA chairman Michael Hammond, and was brought to fruition by the NEA’s current bundle of energy, Dana Gioia. According to Gioia, “the NEA is hoping to ‘revive the tradition of touring theater, which has been in jeopardy.’ By making connections between touring companies and local presenters, he says, ‘we’re creating a circuit that I hope these companies can go back to.'”
Dell To Embrace Downloading
With Apple having proven beyond a doubt that legitimate companies can turn a profit and please music consumers with pay-per-song download services, other companies are looking to get into the act. Dell, which grabbed a huge share of the personal computer market in the 1990s, has announced that it will launch its own downloading service to compete with Apple’s iTunes, and will also develop several consumr electronics products, including a digital music player.
Building A Firm Foundation In Louisville
When the Louisville Orchestra was in danger of folding this past summer, the orchestra’s board claimed that it simply couldn’t raise enough money to pay its operating costs. Three months later, the ensemble is back on track, and money is rolling in from a group of local developers who have pledged to lead the way in making the orchestra fiscally secure. The Home Builders Association of Louisville has already raised more than $400,000 on a $465,000 pledge, and they say they won’t stop there.