It was called Bookman, started in 1895, and was the only place you could see which books were selling. “Once invented, the best seller could be discussed in literary journals, trade publications, social circles, and book clubs, solidifying a popular conception of what it meant to be a best seller and what it meant to read one.” – Lapham’s Quarterly
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How Spain’s National Dance Company Made It From COVID Lockdown Back To The Stage
Marina Harss: “When the Compañía Nacional de Danza took the stage at the Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada in southern Spain on Wednesday, it was in many ways like any other dance performance. … [Yet] it was the culmination of months of careful planning, involving the development of protocols, testing and a careful, minutely orchestrated return to the studio.” – The New York Times
The Full Berry: Mozart’s Letters
Reading Mozart’s correspondence is like being tugged by an enthusiastic, garrulous friend right into the green room of 18th-century European culture. The cast list extends from Empress Maria Theresa to the family dog Bimperl: Mozart is just as fascinated by both. One minute, he’s dressed as Harlequin and dancing all night at the 1783 Vienna carnival. Next, he’s talking shop with Dad (Leopold was a respected composer in his own right), or bitching about a mediocre singer or arrogant patron. – The Spectator
This Ballet School Is Actively Helping Dancers Deal With Body Image Struggles
The pressure on ballerinas to maintain extremely thin figures is notorious for leading to eating disorders. The Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, England’s second city, is meeting this problem head-on. (video) – BBC
Black Voice Actors: Yes, There’s Been Progress, But Not Nearly Enough
“The sudden rise of calls for color-conscious casting comes after years of criticism about whitewashed roles. But while many Black voice actors are glad to see white actors leaving roles where they played characters of color … they believe more meaningful changes are needed for truly equitable hiring.” – Vulture
Think TikTok Is Ultimately Too Silly To Matter? Think Again
“The ubiquitous app built on short video clips seems frivolous at first, with its lip-synching, dance challenges and goofball celebrities. But this is how a rising generation communicates across the globe.” (It is also, writes Daniel Malloy, “the uncut heroin of social media apps.”) “And the app — thanks to its obscenely valuable Chinese parent company — now is at the heart of geopolitical strife between the world’s biggest powers. Today’s [OZY] Sunday magazine explores TikTok’s rise, its addictive joys, its challenges and what will replace it if it crumbles.” – OZY
Opera Philadelphia Cancels O20 Festival, Postpones Main Season, Announces Newly Made Online Offerings
The company’s annual fall festival, much praised ever since its 2017 debut, is off this year; most plans for next season, including Jennifer Higdon’s latest opera and Sondra Radvanovsky’s role debut as Lady Macbeth, are postponed. Instead, there will be “a series of online performances — most created anew — to be shown on a new Opera Philadelphia Channel available [on several] platforms.” Highlights include Lawrence Brownlee in a staged version of Tyshawn Sorey‘s Cycles of My Being, a new version of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs, and the great Willard White in Henze’s El Cimmarón. – The Philadelphia Inquirer
What The Philadelphia Museum Of Art’s Workplace Assessment Found (It Wasn’t Pretty)
The study, conducted by outside consultants at the board’s request after two major scandals broke earlier this year, “found problems and deficiencies at all levels of the hierarchy — from the boardroom on down, museum leaders told staff members at an online meeting Tuesday.” At least, said one staffer, “I was encouraged by how honest [the presentation] felt.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
Learning Music Does Not Make Kids Smarter, New Study Finds
“After analysing data from 54 studies conducted on 6,984 participants between 1986 and 2019, [researchers] found music training was ineffective at enhancing cognitive or academic skills, regardless of the skill type, participants’ age and duration of music training.” What was the problem with previous research that found otherwise? Poor study design, say the authors. – The National (Abu Dhabi)
Here’s How The UK’s £1.5 Billion Arts Rescue Package Will Work
“Of the total amount, the government has currently released £880 million ($1.14 billion), which has been split into two funding rounds. The first round of £622 million ($805.3 million) will be distributed immediately, while the remaining £258 million ($334 million) will be reserved for a second round of funding later in the financial year to meet the developing needs of organizations.” – Variety