“The implications of these programs are tremendous. For musicians and audiences alike, the progress and even nature of music could be fundamentally changed. If a computer program could create new music with the push of a button, customizable to anyone’s taste and without distinct intellectual copyright issues, it would revolutionize the way music is produced and consumed in everyday life.”
Category: today’s top story
Tea Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife Wins 2011 Orange Prize
“The winner of this year’s Orange prize for fiction [by female authors] is Téa Obreht, a first time novelist and, at 25, the youngest author to take the award in its 16-year history.”
Why Facts Seem To Have Fallen Out Of Our Public Discourse
“They have been able to succeed, in part, because most academics who retain a commitment to intellectual scrupulousness have lost the ability to speak beyond their narrow disciplines to the larger public. At the same time, the growth of right-wing talk radio, cable news, and a bevy of well-funded think tanks… have overwhelmed what remains of their less ideologically committed counterparts.”
Was Pablo Neruda Poisoned By Pinochet?
“A judge in Chile has opened an investigation into the death four decades ago of the Nobel Prize-winning poet in response to allegations by his former driver that Neruda was poisoned by agents acting for Gen. Augusto Pinochet.”
Florida Stage, Now Bankrupt, Shuts Down (Blame Bernie Madoff)
“Less than 24 hours after the closing of its most recent production, Florida Stage shut down Monday morning and announced plans to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, citing factors including a $1.5 million debt and a downturn in contributions from victims of financial swindler Bernard Madoff.”
Top D.C. Contemporary Dance Company Lays Off All Its Dancers
“CityDance Ensemble … is about to dissolve. Artistic director Paul Emerson has submitted his resignation, effective June 30, and none of the group’s eight professional dancers had their contracts renewed earlier this year.” CityDance does plan to continue its educational programs.
How Much Smaller Will New York City Opera’s Next Budget Be? (About Half)
“According to a source near the company, current plans are to slash the budget by half, spending only about $11 million on the season, of which approximately $1.5 million (it is hoped) will be covered by ticket sales. The remaining $10 million or so of costs are to be made up through ‘unearned income,’ including donations to the company.”
Beijing Art Show Closed, Artists Disappeared After Ai Weiwei Protest
“On Thursday morning, the curators of the show, the Incidental Art Festival, were forced to close their doors and scupper the exhibit, which included photographs, video and conceptual pieces by 19 participants, many of them performance artists. What’s more, three organizers of the festival, including Mr. Lin, seem to have disappeared.”
Florida Governor Vetoes All Funding For Public Broadcasting (It’s A ‘Special Interest’)
“In an unexpected move last week, Gov. Rick Scott cut all state spending to public television and radio stations … [He] called the vetoes a rejection of special interests, a label that made public broadcasting officials bristle.”
Top Met Opera Stars Drop Out Of Japan Tour Over Fears Of Radiation
“The brightest star of the Metropolitan Opera’s tour to Japan, Anna Nebtrebko, dropped out at the last minute over concerns about radiation, as did Joseph Calleja, a leading tenor, Met officials said on Monday. They joined Jonas Kaufmann, another tenor who pulled out over concerns follow the March earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.”