“English National Opera’s plan to bring high culture to the wide expanses of Trafalgar Square was last night defeated by the British weather. Seven thousand Londoners had snapped up free tickets to watch a live performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. But as heavy rains closed in and forecasters warned of winds gusting up to 35mph, even the 2,000 complimentary ponchos seemed unlikely to protect those braving the soggy Astroturf rolled out over the square’s paving.”
Tag: 07.08.04
La Scala To Return Home (Briefly)
After three years of renovation, La Scala will move back into its home for the traditional December season premiere. “Opening the season at La Scala will be the same work performed when the theatre opened for business in 1778: Antonio Salieri’s Europa Riconosciuta.” But the welcome home will be brief – the opera company will move out again a few weeks later so the renovation job can be completed.
Seeing (Electronically) The Music In Front Of You
Lee Rosenbaum takes the electronic Concert Companion for a spin. “The constant flitting between commentary, video and the live performers, the glitchy image quality and the need to reboot after several crashes put me in a state of nervous agitation rather than rapt absorption. CoCo’s chief drawback, though, is that words can never adequately translate music. Background reading is helpful, either before or after a concert. But the best way to appreciate a live performance is to switch off all electronic devices and simply employ your ears.”
Study Confirms “Our Worst Fears About American Reading
A new study on American reading habits by the National Endowment for the Arts paints a glum pitcure. “Among its findings are that fewer than half of Americans over 18 now read novels, short stories, plays or poetry; that the consumer pool for books of all kinds has diminished; and that the pace at which the nation is losing readers, especially young readers, is quickening. In addition it finds that the downward trend holds in virtually all demographic areas.”