Bret Stephens pays tribute to Annette Nancarrow (the composer Conlon was the third of her four husbands), a genteel, well-to-do Manhattan Jewish girl who ran off to Mexico City, became besties with Anaïs Nin, painted a mural alongside José Clemente Orozco, watched Diego and Frida fight, and judged Leon Trotsky’s clothes. – The New York Times
Tag: 03.21.20
Barbara Ehrenreich On Class, Health And Making It In America
“Like in journalism, in all the creative occupations, there’s no stability unless you’re a superstar of some sort. ” – New York Times Magazine
Fred Hersch Addresses The Virus Threat
Concerned about the advance of the coronavirus, pianist Fred Hersch has announced his approach to providing, if not relief from the threat, a way to get it off your mind for a while: a live-streamed concert each day. – Doug Ramsey
Julia Miles, Who Founded The Women’s Project To Influence Off-Broadway Theatre, Has Died
Miles founded Women’s Project and eventually the WP Theater, where she and others “produced more than 600 plays written and directed by women over a 42-year history, nurturing artists like Lauren Yee, Sarah Grancher, Laura Enson and Kate Whoriskey in recent years.” – Broadway.com
Here Are 4,000 Canadian Films To Stream For Free; Please Stop Complaining You’re Bored
Who needs Netflix when you’ve got the Canadian Film Board, right? (Also, if you like Canadian work, Kim’s Convenience is on Netflix.) – CBC
How Did Disney Swallow Up Everything?
Disney is so big it’s even creating metaphors about itself in its many, many, many, many properties. “Disney’s gravitational pull is warping the very space-time continuum of the media landscape. You will have to work harder than ever to escape the Magic Kingdom’s reach. If it doesn’t get you with the Avengers, it will get you with The Simpsons, or National Geographic, or Wes Anderson. If it doesn’t get you with Elsa sticking plasters, it will get you with Baby Yoda memes.” – The Guardian (UK)
Bill Smith, Master Of Two Musical Worlds, Has Died At 93
His double music life: “As William O. Smith, he pioneered unorthodox techniques for his instrument and developed ways to notate them for other players. Composers like Luigi Nono, Pauline Oliveros and Gunther Schuller fashioned works that took advantage of Mr. Smith’s uncommon virtuosity. His own compositions were performed and recorded by eminent artists like Mr. Schuller, André Previn and Marni Nixon. As Bill Smith, he enjoyed a lively career as a jazz clarinetist. He was admired for his bright tone and buoyant swing, most visibly in bands led by [Dave] Brubeck.” – The New York Times
The Psychology Of Comfort TV
Says one professor of media psychology on why so many people are watching, say, “The Great British Baking Show” and other comfort watches or re-watches: “There’s a lot of comfort in knowing when something’s going to happen. You don’t have to exert a lot of cognitive energy, so it doesn’t feel taxing.” – The Atlantic
Chicago Neighborhood Sings Bon Jovi From Quaratine
Inspired by Italy, Rogers Park got itself together to sing the popular 1980s rocker’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” The singer himself joined in via Instagram, and a local radio station changed its playlist so the song would start precisely at 7 pm. “As the final chorus hit, one neighbor even began tossing rose petals out of the window while singing.” – Block Club Chicago
Kenny Rogers, Who Brought Country To Pop And Sang With The Muppets And Dolly Parton, Has Died At 81
Rogers was the original country star selling out arenas, long before Garth Brooks or Shania Twain in the 1990s. “Rogers’s popularity stemmed partly from his genial persona and rugged good looks, but also from his ability to inhabit his material, which, he often said, was of two main types: love songs like ‘You Decorated My Life’ and narrative ballads like ‘The Gambler’ and ‘Lucille.'” – The New York Times