Blog – Page 13770 – ArtsJournal Wayback

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

“Pessimists are worried that Christie’s and Sotheby’s may not even survive the crisis. Derek Johns, a London dealer who was once a director of Sotheby’s, says, ‘It would be devastating if they became bankrupt.’ The optimists, on the other hand, say that Christie’s and Sotheby’s have survived drama and scandal in the past, and that a better, more competitive and less arrogant art market may eventually come out of all this.” – The Telegraph (UK)

Previously: EBAY TO BUY SOTHEBY’S? Five-year-old eBay is reported to be interested in buying the troubled 256-year-old auction house. Valued by the stock market, eBay is worth nearly $20 billion, 16 times Friday’s closing price for Sotheby’s. – The Independent (UK)
OF SINS AND SCANDALS: So what’s a little collusion? Other auction house practices may be legal, but they’re far from fair. – Artnewsroom.com
SELLERS’ MARKET: “This sends a bolt of lightning through the marketplace,” said Scott Black, president of Delphi Management, a Boston money-management firm, and a serious collector who has spent tens of millions of dollars on fine paintings. “When you step into that auction room and raise your hand, you assume it’s a fair market. . . . I think a lot of people are going to think twice about the spring auctions.” – Washington Post

PICTURE PERFECT

Portrait artists are seeing an increase in business. “I think the baby boomers have realized there’s more and more that needs to be maintained, that a portrait is a gift you leave for future generations,” says Toronto artist Gail Hill. Indeed, many of Hill’s clients are women in their mid-40s to mid-50s: “We are the most beautiful we’ve ever been, the most powerful, the most confident and competent,” she says. “And we’re also able to buy art.” – The Globe and Mail (Canada)

SACRED GROUND?

Frederick Ashton created his ballet “Marguerite and Armand” for Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, and wherever danced it, “people saw the love story not only of the courtesan Marguerite and the hopeful young Armand, but also (they fancied) of Margot and Rudi themselves.” The piece was so identified with the couple that when they gave their final performance of it in 1977 – when Fonteyn was 58 – it was unthinkable that anyone else could ever dance it. And now the Royal Ballet has announced a new production. – London Telegraph

Nicolas Le Riche: Nureyev’s protégé, France’s best dancer and its best-kept secret, takes on “Armand” – London Sunday Times 02/27/00

DANCE FOR THE 21ST C

Judith Jamison’s Alvin Ailey dance company is one of the dance world’s commercial as well as artistic successes. In a year of accolades (and Jamison’s tenth anniversary at the head of the company) a moment of reflection. – Chicago Tribune

MERCY KILLING

Another Dallas dance company finally throws in the towel, disbanding after 20 years. – Dallas Morning News

AN OPERA TO BE LIVED IN

With everything whizzing by faster and faster, Wagner’s “Tristan” forces you to suspend time, inhabit music, rather than listen to it fly past. – Chicago Tribune

COMING OF AGE

There was a time when Michael Tilson Thomas was regarded as that brilliant kid who never quite lived up to his potential. Five years into his job leading the San Francisco Symphony, Thomas has come into his own. – Hartford Courant

Capturing the hearts of an orchestra … and a city. – Boston Globe 02/27/00

AN OLD IDEA, BADLY DONE

“Modern concert halls need to be less like airport lounges, devoid of atmosphere, charm or humanity, and more like somewhere you would choose to spend an evening. No wonder people prefer concerts by candlelight in churches or at stately homes with firework displays: at least they have an interest and value to offer the eye. The truth is that audiences do not care one iota who a symphony orchestra’s oboe or cello players are, but they will pay good money to see a star soloist, a star conductor or a star singer. But just as opera has benefited from enlightened and provocative staging, a way has to be found for symphonic concert music to rediscover the live performance. – London Telegraph

FOR THE LOVE OF …

Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna are opera-world husband-and-wife stars. But something about their chemistry together has the major opera companies closing their doors to them. – London Sunday Times

WORDS RULE

New operas have to have selling points, and music is not first among them. For better or worse, words seem to be coming out on top. – New York Times