Category: today’s top story

“When a debt of more than $2 million forced DTH to disband, it seemed that [Arthur] Mitchell’s model of inclusion would amount to a historical curiosity. Until [Virginia] Johnson stepped in. … The company is slated to make its New York debut in 2013 …”

“The Toronto Symphony appears to be flourishing at a time when many North American ensembles are struggling. The previous decade had been a particularly tough haul.”

Len Downie and Robert Kaiser: “[A]mbitious local news coverage by commercial media has diminished in community after community in recent years. Recognizing that, NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting … have begun helping public radio [and television] stations do a better job of news reporting in their communities” by helping them increase and pool their generally stretched resources.

“Under the measure, sponsored by Representative Doug Lamborn, a Republican from Colorado, stations could not buy programming from NPR or any other source using the $22 million the stations receive from the Treasury for that purpose. Local NPR stations would be able to use federal funds for operating expenses, but not content.”

“Barbican managing director Nicholas Kenyon has revealed the arts venue is considering launching a ‘digital membership’ package, which he said would feature a range of content that can be viewed online for a subscription.”

“Time will tell how it works,” said the actor-director-producer, “but we’re coming in very small. We’re here four days, we’re not bringing the full complement of Sundance – we’re bringing film and American music.” The festival debuts in April 2012 at the O2 arena.

“Like Britain, another resolute island nation half a world away, Japan has always responded with stoic rebuilding. But unlike the British, or really anyone else in the world, the Japanese have refracted their historic misfortune through a unique cultural lens, producing monster movies, Zen poetry, modernist post-apocalyptic literature, and even pornographic manga …”

“The controversial National Portrait Gallery exhibition ‘Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture’ … closed last month, but now the Brooklyn Museum and the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington State are collaborating to reconstitute it.”

“A Terence Rattigan play that closed early and was largely neglected for 70 years until its revival at the National Theatre emerged as the biggest winner at last night’s 2011 Olivier theatre awards. … Last night’s other big winners at an unashamedly showbizzy ceremony in the West End were Legally Blonde, the Musical – and Stephen Sondheim.”