So the Florida Philharmonic has slipped under the waves, the latest American orchestra casualty. “Blame for the philharmonic’s misfortunes can certainly be spread around. Uninspired, unmotivated, unprepared, unrealistic and sometimes simply petty administrators and board members would surely get their share; some myopic musicians who fanned adversarial labor relations over the years wouldn’t escape, either. (It’s not surprising that a disillusioned Judd departed a few seasons ago.) Ultimately, though, it’s the well-oiled in the community that have to take the heat, the folks who could have stepped up to the plate way back when the first deficits appeared. The arts don’t come cheap.”
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Official Art – Minimally Unacceptable
Roger Kimball believes that the official art world has its priotities on backwards when it comes to touting art it thinks is worthwhile. “When it comes to the Art World — to the congeries of critic-publicists and curator-publicists, museum-director-publicists, publicist-publicists, and artist-narcissist-publicists who set the agenda and spend the money—the front-burner issue is not aesthetic quality but one or another species of trendiness. When exhibitions of Velázquez or Leonardo or some other historical name-brand worthy roll into town, you can reap some reasonably straight oohs and aahs from the arts pages of the Times and other finger-in-the-air publications. But let the focus shift to what’s happening now and, presto! instant lobotomy and onset of Tourette Syndrome.”
We Owe Our Success To BatBoy
You would expect a small Boston theatre that presents edgy works to be struggling as funding goes down. But the enterprising SpeakEasy Stage Company found itself unexpectedly blessed when “an improbable musical comedy about a charismatic but bloodthirsty freak of nature who longs to be a normal boy” sold so well earlier this season that the company brought it back for a second run. Its success at the box office has put the company in the black.
Reality Takes Over
In the UK, as in America, reality TV has taken over the small screen. “Drama, lifestyle and documentary programmes have all been crushed by the alluring mix of multi-camera, multi-star TV. Reality TV, it could be argued, has now established itself as a mainstream format, alongside drama and sitcoms, and if anything, is going through a mature phase. Perhaps the enduring appeal of reality TV, whether in celebrity or ‘ordinary people’ guise, has nothing to do with our appetite for the formula but more to do with gossip columns and the need for showbiz news.”
TiVo For Radio
TiVo has been a big hit with TV viewers. So why not a TiVo for radio? “These digital radio recorders, which can be preset to record a program at a certain time, enable customers to record any radio program they want and have it converted into a digital format. They then can listen to the program or upload it onto a PC in a transferable file. Like TiVo, the audio recorders will let customers fast-forward over commercials – although this isn’t a feature the industry is actively promoting.”
Special Effects For The Little Screen
“The glamor of special effects technology may still lie in cinematic spectacles like ‘Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones,’ created by celebrated houses like the Industrial Light and Magic unit of Lucas Digital, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Digital Domain. But television is where much of the business of special effects takes place these days, saving considerable money for the studios.”
“Hairspray” Dominates Tony Noms
As expected, the musical “Hairspray” dominated Tony Award nominations Monday, “named in 13 categories that included best musical, best original score and best costumes. ‘Movin’ Out,’ Twyla Tharp’s dance show set to the music of Billy Joel, received 10 nominations, including one for best musical, even though it has no words and only one singer. In the straight-play category a revival of Eugene O’Neill’s ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night,’ which opened last week, received seven nominations, including one for Vanessa Redgrave, her first.”
FCC Close To Deregulating Media Ownership
It’s looking more and more like the Federal Communications Commission is going to further ease restrictions on media ownership, allowing companies to own TV, radio and newspapers in the same market. Critics are upset: “We’re going to have a handful of people providing the news for the entire country. We will be losing the diversity of intellect and ideas and opinions. We’ll be cutting off minority opinions and dissent, and it’s not our founding fathers intended.”
As Canadian Dollar Rises, American Movie Production Leaves Canada
Canada has been able to attract lots of film and TV production from south of the border because of a cheap dollar and government tax incentives. But the Canadian dollar has been on the rise compared to the US. “After the dollar climbed to 71.80 cents (U.S.) last week, industry and provincial officials are worried that U.S. film makers will look to other locations such as Australia and New Zealand.”
Australian Artists Looking For Big Government Funding Increase
Australia’s artists are waiting for the government budget on Tuesday. Eight months ago, a report on Australia’s visual arts and craft industry “urged the country’s governments to cough up another $15 million a year to help the sector survive. The Federal Government was asked to contribute $9 million of that amount, with the states and territories providing the rest.” Tuesday artists will know if the request has been answered…