Touring Broadway shows use scaled down sets, smaller casts and smaller orchestras. The lower budgets make the touring possible. But there are artistic compromises, and even though audiences will pay to see smaller versions of Broadway shows, it would be a mistake to think that Broadway itself could scale down and hold its allure. “What’s troubling about the settlement of the musicians’ strike is that the top level of Broadway entertainment and artistry, the brand-name level, has been subject to a watering down that may eventually inform the expectations of an audience.”
Tag: 03.18.03
This Year’s Maastricht – A Harder Sell
War fears loom over this year’s Maastricht Art Fair. “Traditionally this small Dutch city has been an annual mecca for serious collectors from all over the world. But officials here report that attendance at this, the world’s largest art fair, will be down about 10 percent from last year. There are far fewer blockbusters than in recent years. Not only are great works of art getting harder to find, but often when dealers do have something extraordinary, they tend to hide it away during bad economic times, afraid that if it doesn’t sell, it will become overexposed and therefore less desirable. Dealers definitely seemed to be holding back this year.”
Another Blow For Troubled English National Opera
Tony Legge, the company’s head of music, resigned after plans for shrinking the company’s staff and repertoire were announced. Legge’s decision was a shock to company members. “People looked to him as having artistic integrity. We only have to assume he didn’t want to be part of what the future holds.”
Bush Tax Plan Threatens Historic Preservation Incentives
Tax credits for preserving historic buildings and building low-income housing have resulted in the rehab of tens of thousands of buildings in America. “These credits help make historic rehab and low-income housing projects viable for profit-minded developers who might otherwise opt for less risky ventures.” But “despite the fact that they have helped stabilize neighborhoods, create businesses and jobs, and boost tax revenues in small towns and big cities alike, these incentives are in danger of being marginalized by a current White House proposal.”