“The Cairo Opera House witnessed unprecedented protests on Tuesday, following the sacking of opera house head Ines Abdel-Dayem by the [Islamist government’s] new culture minister.”
Category: music
Why Did The Rite Of Spring Inspire Only One Riot?
“Where was the next riot? Trumpeted by the media, The Rite Of Spring should have incited copycat brawls in dozens of theatres, howls of urban outrage, hyperactive manifestos. And nothing happened. Aside from two disturbances in Vienna at the outbreak of Arnold Schoenberg’s atonalities … the public sat back in their seats and let radical novelties wash over their nodding heads.”
La Scala Cuts Back Its Season Due To Budget Cuts
“As it prepares to celebrate Verdi’s 200th birthday, La Scala opera house in Milan has announced it is being forced to reduce the number of operas it will produce next season thanks to the economic crisis and cuts to its public funding.”
UK Record Industry Exec Lashes Out At Art Council’s Charge Of Underinvestment In New Talent
“New funding for investment in UK talent is always a good thing but the Arts Council should be supporting the music industry’s excellent record of breaking talent, not attacking it with ill-judged sound bites.”
100 Years Ago Rite Of Spring Changed 20th Century Art. Here’s How
“This, in a way, is cubist music – where musical materials slice into one another, interact and superimpose with the most brutal edges, thus challenging the musical perspective and logic that had dominated European ears for centuries.”
Did The Audience Really Riot At Premiere Of Rite Of Spring?
Here are the facts as best as are known…
The Piano Teacher With Five Students In The Van Cliburn Competition
Francois Naboré, head of the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy, is widely acknowledged as one of the most successful piano teachers in the world — a keyboard “Yoda” — who, during the quadrennial Cliburn competitions, is often seen roaming the hall, dapper and distinguishable, morning and evening, in a pin-striped suit.”
Oregon Symphony Musicians Give Up Pay To Balance Season’s Budget
“The slow, relentless shrinking of the Oregon Symphony continues as the musicians agreed this week to forgo $315,000 in pay … Faced with a budget gap foreseen last October, symphony officials asked the musicians to waive their annual, end-of-season payment, the equivalent of two-and a half weeks of salary.”
Delaware Symphony Reaches Agreement With Musicians, Saving Upcoming Season
“After months of negotiations, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra” – which performed a severely curtailed 2012-13 season after barely staving off collapse last June – “and the union representing its musicians have finally found some middle ground, as both sides agree to a tentative three-year contract.”
Is The Pop Music Industry Failing?
Alan Davey, chief executive of Arts Council England, says the market in popular music is “failing” and the industry is guilty of a “short-termism”.