Strength in culture has helped the UK reclaim pole position in the annual index of global soft power, moving ahead of France. It is the first time since 2015 that the UK has led the world. The UK was ranked second in the culture category, remaining behind the US but ahead of France and Germany for the fourth year running. The BBC World Service, described as “the world’s most trusted news provider”, and the British Council were highlighted as key cultural assets that help the country spread its influence.
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Emily Brontë Was No Romantic Child Of The Yorkshire Moors; She Was Audacious, Financially Savvy, And Rather Unpleasant
She stalked away from her one paid job (teaching) after only a few months, invested cannily in railway stocks, “she refused to use her rackety health as an excuse, instead throwing herself into strenuous physical domestic labour. … And if by time travel magic we could fast forward Brontë to the age of the suffragettes we would find her snorting in derision and, quite possibly, setting a large dog on the women in purple and green. In other words, Brontë is not on ‘our side’ and were we to meet her, we would not like her. And that, really, is the point.”
We Think We Can Tell What Others Are Thinking (We Can’t)
The fate of democracy depends on our ability to grasp and accept differing mindsets – yet the seemingly near-universal absence of reasonable public discourse suggests that this rarely occurs. We accuse those with conflicting opinions of having character defects, subliminal prejudices, faulty education, cultural brainwashing and a myriad of other ‘if only they knew better’ flaws of reasoning. But there’s a more basic and frightening possibility. What if we really aren’t capable of a sophisticated reading of other minds?
‘How Could I?’ Richard Russo On Writing A Novel About A School Shooting
“The problem is that for the novelist the opposite question — How could I not? — also pertains. … Looking back on Empire Falls — both the novel and the fine HBO mini-series made from it — and trying to imagine what a novel on the same subject would look like today, I’m most struck by how innocent we all were.”
A First: Special Kennedy Center Honor Will Go To “Hamilton”
It’s the first time the annual awards have honored a work of art rather than an artist. “Hamilton” and its creative team — composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, music director Alex Lacamoire, and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler — will receive a special honor Dec. 2 in a ceremony that also salutes the lifetime achievements of composer Philip Glass, singer-actresses Cher and Reba McEntire, and jazz musician Wayne Shorter.
Meet The Blind Choreographer Envisioning A New Way Of Making Dance
“After losing her eyesight due to optic nerve atrophy, [Mana Hashimoto] was determined to keep dancing despite the unexpected obstacle. Since then, she has dedicated her life to merging blindness and dance, and to create artistic works through the use of her remaining senses.”
An Open Letter To The NEA’s New Acting Chairwoman
“As a Dance Mom, you might get an undeserved bad rap but you definitely have much needed knowledge and capacities. You know that your child is entitled to a dance education. You fight for that. You drive for that, in more ways than behind the wheel — which I know from experience that you do at high volume. I hope you can harness that drive and sense of entitlement for good, living up to your stated intentions to make the NEA more accessible.” Mary Anne Carter replied here.
‘Honestly, I Feel Wonderful Here’: Yuval Sharon On Being An Israeli-American Working At Bayreuth
“That difficult history was of course a terrible tragedy, and it affected my family as well. But it’s clear that people here are coming to terms with that history and probing ever deeper into it. That wonderful exhibition Silenced Voices … portrays Jewish artists and theater personnel who once worked at the Bayreuth Festival and describes their fates. Every day I go by there and look at another one. I feel so honored to be able to stand on their shoulders and work here as an independent stage director without it being a major issue. My religion and heritage are irrelevant to my work anyway. It only comes up in conversation.”
Order Your Own Bespoke Production Of A Play (If You Have The Cash)
“Billed as an exclusive private theatre offering, each of Revels in Hand’s productions will be specially created for a private client and chosen for the space in which they will be performed. Go People, the company behind the plans, said this could range from a dinner party or a yacht to corporate events and weddings, and would incorporate all styles of play including Shakespeare and modern classics. Clients can also commission new work if they wish.”
What The U.S.-China Trade War Means For The Art Market
Until the latest round of tariffs, art could be imported here duty-free. “Dealers in Chinese art and antiques described the proposed tariffs as misguided and detrimental to cultural exchange, noting it would not serve to protect a domestic industry, since American artists — unlike American factory workers — are not competing directly with Chinese artists. Nor would it meaningfully harm the robust and growing Chinese and broader Asian fine art and antiques markets.”