Novelist Patricia Cornwell knows who Jack the Ripper was. Or she says she does. Others may disagree, (‘others’ being defined in this case as ‘every criminologist in the UK,’) but Cornwell insists that British painter Walter Sickert can be conclusively linked to the notorious killing spree in late-19th century London through letters and other written material previously dismissed as hoaxes.
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If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Bill ‘Em
In a move which could start a worldwide trend, a Danish anti-piracy group has begun sending bills to users of file-sharing services such as Kazaa, demanding that the pirates pay for all the titles displayed in their shared download folders. The payments are then sent to the appropriate copyright holders. The action is already having an effect – fewer users are trading Danish material online, and U.S. companies are monitoring the action closely.
Taking The Fall In Pittsburgh
Gideon Toeplitz, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra executive who threatened a bankruptcy filing for his ensemble this past fall if contributions did not rise, has apparently been forced out of the organization. Toeplitz announced his resignation at a board meeting on Monday. The PSO is struggling under a multi-million dollar deficit, and is scheduled to lose popular music director Mariss Jansons at the conclusion of the 2003-04 season.
La Scala Construction On Hold
Cultural protesters and a collection of politicians have managed to bring the renovation of the La Scala opera house in Milan to a halt, at least temporarily. The official line is that the plans were not properly approved by the city council, but opponents’ actual concerns range from acoustics to historic preservation to simple dislike of any sort of change to the hall.
Are They Wrecking La Scala?
Members of Italy’s “cultural elite” held a press conference this week to denounce the renovations currently underway on the La Scala opera house. They claim “the work would seriously damage the theatre’s appearance and acoustics. It was also illegal, they told a press conference in Rome, because the project had not been properly approved by the city council. ‘They have even destroyed the orchestra pit’.”
Ticket Tax Trouble
Boston’s mayor proposes a 50-cent tax on tickets to shows, and arts groups are howling. “Jeez, what a time to do that. If I thought my shows could have another 50 cents added to the ticket price, I would have priced them that way to begin with. I don’t know where we’ll get it. If the public has to cope with a larger burden, it would really be problematic.”
Digital Promise/Trap
“According to the Motion Picture Association of America, the average film budget in 2000 was $54.8 million, up from $9.4 million in 1980.” Digital technology can cut costs dramatically, but many “directors and cinematographers, who have built their reputations on their skilled use of film, dread the idea of being marginalized by punks with digital camcorders.”
Major Dance Competition To Sydney
“For the first time, the Genee International Ballet Competition – world’s major dance competition – will be held outside London. A record number of participants – more than 90 – have taken up the challenge, with the finals to be held on Sunday at the Sydney Opera House.”
Baz Looking at Casino Next
Baz Luhrmann, fresh off his hit opening of La Boheme on Broadway, says that he plans to make stage versions of his movies “Moulin Rouge” and “Strictly Ballroom” He’s looking at putting “Moulin Rouge” ina Las Vegas casino and “Strictly Ballroom” to go into a ballroom space.
Cost Plus
Why don’t young people come to the theatre? Theatres certainly try hard enough to lure them – “they choose new writers; they cast stars from television soaps; they allow audiences to bring drinks in with them; they even, in the case of the National Theatre, reconfigure the auditorium in an effort to make it more youth-friendly.” But maybe it’s just a price issue. If theatre cost the price of a movie, would they go? One experiment offers some answers…