“The distinction between renting the hall and being invited by Carnegie’s programmers may not strike many concertgoers, who see the same black concert dress onstage and hear the same canon of orchestral works. But the difference is sharp, both in prestige and in fees.”
Tag: 02.05.06
Is Dance Training Failing The ArtForm?
“Increasingly, questions are being asked about how to prepare young people for an art form whose core values are so antithetical to today’s me-centred consumer culture. Have they got the necessary self-discipline? Are they tough enough? Some of those who run ballet companies doubt it, and point the finger at teachers who, they claim, are too soft on their students.”
Dear Mr. Bin Laden: Please Endorse My Book
“To publishers and new writers, the imprimatur of a famous author has always been gold, carrying, as it does, all the solemnity of naming a successor. But the new vogue for non-literary champions – Robert Plant or Jarvis Cocker, for example – works on a much simpler syllogism: if you like Robert Plant, and Robert Plant liked this book, why then, you’ll like this book.”
Questionable Mozart
Article after article has appeared about Mozart in this 250th anniversary year. So how much have you been paying attention? Take another one of the Guardian’s famous quizes of your Mozart knowledge…
The Shakespeare Picture (Is It?)
Lloyd Sullivan has spent almost two decades and as much as $1-million trying to prove that the portait his family has owned for more than four centuries is that of William Shakespeare. “Events in the last year have convinced Sullivan that his heirloom is within striking distance of being named an authentic lifetime likeness of Shakespeare. If he’s right, the painting could be worth as much as $20-million. Certainly it’s a claim that’s going to receive renewed attention this spring as a much-anticipated Shakespeare-themed art exhibition goes up in London.”
Selling Denver’s Arts
Denver wants to be known as an arts city. But lots of cities want to be known as arts cities, and marketing efforts abound. So how exactly does a city distinguish its arts scene from others?
Just What Exactly Do The Grammys Reward?
The Grammys are based on the idea of rewarding the best music. But is it really possible? “Once upon a time, when there were only a handful of record labels and a few thousand albums a year to track, it seemed possible to sort out the albums that mattered, or should matter. Now, it is estimated that more than 35,000 CDs are released annually on hundreds of record labels, in addition to thousands more that surface through Internet and underground channels.”
John Williams, Mr. Movie Score
The composer has written 101 movie scores and has been nominated for 45 Oscars, “tying the record for best-score nominations set by his mentor, Alfred Newman. Williams is now the second-most-nominated person ever, after Walt Disney (with 59).”
Chinese Art Takes Center Stage
“Chinese work has seized the imagination of the Western art world for several reasons. There’s the sense that Chinese artists have sprung up seemingly full-blown since the end of the repression and censorship of the Cultural Revolution. There’s a fascination with a country that’s become a world economic powerhouse. And there’s the intoxicating fascination of new love: Chinese artists are spending as much time and energy trying to figure us out as Western art lovers are trying to figure them out.”
France Considers New File-Sharing Plan
France is considering a new law that would legalize file-sharing in return for flat-fee licensing. “The entertainment industry is preparing a massive lobby against the law, saying it would undo years of anti-piracy work and leave artists destitute.”