The great author and his home country, about which he wrote his most widely-known books, have not always gotten along since he fled the Communist regime in 1975 and didn’t return after it fell. (The latest flare-up happened earlier this year.) But now the 91-year-old Kundera has been awarded the Franz Kafka Prize, one of the Republic’s highest honors for writers, and he has “joyfully” accepted. – The Guardian
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Musical Theatre Competition Criticized For All-White Semifinals; Organizers Cancel It, Candidates Allege Gaslighting
The Rob Guest Endowment is Australia’s most prestigious musical theatre prize, offering $50,000 (Aus) offers in scholarship money for professional development. In August, a field of 30 semifinalists was announced, and an outcry arose — supported by the candidates themselves — because none of the 30 were BIPOC. Now the Endowment, claiming concern for the semifinalists’ mental health because some have been “targeted and intimidated,” has suspended the award until 2022; the competitors themselves say that they had been about to withdraw en masse. – Limelight (Australia)
Accounts Of ‘Horrifying’ Sexual Abuse At Curtis Institute Confirmed By Investigation
“A months-long investigation by the law firm Cozen O’Connor into ‘horrifying accounts of rape and repeated sexual abuse’ from violinist Lara St. John while she was a student at the Curtis Institute of Music has found her claims to be credible. A report by the firm detailing her experience, as well as separate claims of abuse by about two dozen other students over a period of decades, was unanimously accepted Tuesday by the Curtis board,” which unreservedly apologized to St. John and thanked both her and the newspaper reporters who published her account. – The Philadelphia Inquirer
100 Dancers To Perform In Royal Ballet’s Post-Lockdown Comeback
“The company has revealed ambitious details of its ‘comeback’ after a seven-month break from full performances on the Covent Garden stage. The plan is for a celebration performance with 100 dancers and a full orchestra on 9 October, livestreamed around the world. … And while it will be socially distanced, there will be dance duets thanks to couples in bubbles.” – The Guardian
Plans For Picasso Museum In Aix-En-Provence Collapse
“The Musée Jacqueline et Pablo Picasso, which would have held some 1,000 paintings by the artist, fell through as a result of a failed negotiation between the French town’s city council and Jacqueline’s daughter and Picasso’s stepdaughter Catherine Hutin-Blay, who headed the project for the institution.” – ARTnews
Van Cliburn Competition Postponed For First Time Ever
The decision by the organizers of the quadrennial event makes the Cliburn the first major music competition of 2021 to be called off because of COVID. As a result, in 2022 Fort Worth will host both the main competition (in June) and the Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition (sometime in the fall). – KERA
As Coronavirus Stalks Its Ranks, Bolshoi Theater Sings And Dances On
“Plans were announced over summer for something approaching a full season of opera and ballet across its three stages, and on 6 September, the theatre started the season with an all-star cast performing Verdi’s Don Carlo” — which was canceled after two performances because two of those stars contracted COVID. “‘Said the Bolshoi’s general director, Vladimir Urin, ‘Unfortunately, in the current situation, it can become part of our everyday lives that at short notice we can no longer put things on.’ He said the theatre was working to ensure there were always understudies available to avoid cancellations happening too often.” – The Guardian
Lessons For The Arts From The NBA’s “Bubble” Season
The achievements of the enterprise became evident as the playoff games got underway. The bubble games blended theatre and sports to create a hybrid performance space that offered a great “live” experience while protecting performers and audiences. Curtains and video screens masked empty seats in the auditorium. Digital logos and ads, lighting effects on the court, and amplified soundtracks with music, sound effects, and fan noises mimicked the feel of live games both for the players and for those watching at home. – Ludwig Van
The Benefits Of Reading Aloud
“A growing body of research suggests that we may be missing out by reading only with the voices inside our minds. The ancient art of reading aloud has a number of benefits for adults, from helping improve our memories and understand complex texts, to strengthening emotional bonds between people. And far from being a rare or bygone activity, it is still surprisingly common in modern life.” – BBC
So Does This Mean Quibi Has Failed?
Launched in April 2020, Quibi has raised about $1.75 billion from major studios and other investors and has banked dozens of original series from Hollywood A-listers. The major question is who, exactly, would be interested in acquiring the struggling Quibi venture, given its untested business model and weak subscriber traction to date. – Variety