The company says it can save $400,000 a year by ditching musicians an using recorded music. “Ballet officials told members of the company’s orchestra Thursday that they won’t renew the musicians’ three-year contract, which expires at the end of August. The ballet plans to offer a severance package to the 48 union musicians in its orchestra.
Tag: 07.21.06
Speculators Buy In To Chinese Art
“In a rocketing economy where government owns the land but is curtailing rampant speculation with new regulations, art is the new real estate in China. But, longtime observers bemoan speculation, saying it artificially warps the prices, and even affects the form and quality of the art. Yet China offers a one-of-a kind, forward-racing, ever-morphing art scene, a heady stew stirred by artists, speculators, critics and curators. Buyers are also playing a role in molding the new faces of Chinese art.”
A Fight Over Cable Competition And Regulation
“Consumers are complaining about their steadily climbing cable TV bills – up 86 percent in the past 10 years, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Their local officials agree, but with a caveat: That’s not all that’s at stake, they say. The municipalities’ ability to enforce cable operators’ customer service standards, control rights of way and take a cut of their revenue is at risk. State or federal bills would allow would-be cable operators to bypass local franchise agreements.”
Increasing Signs Hollywood Production Is Downsizing
“Disney’s firings, which started at the top with the studio’s production chief, are the latest in an industrywide contraction that has cost more than 2,000 jobs worldwide. In Los Angeles, particularly, the economic effect is being widely felt. Here, in an industry built on bravado, people are suddenly talking openly about being afraid.”
In Hollywood – Firing Is An Art Form
“In show business, an industry that’s all about relationships, the ways people get tossed can resonate louder than box-office grosses. Keeping score of who’s up and who’s down dominates workplace conversations because the latest pecking order determines the fate of projects. Still, Hollywood seems to have a knack for the memorable pink slip.”
Bad Summer For LA’s Murals
“Thursday, attorneys representing artist Kent Twitchell filed a claim against the U.S. Department of Labor in connection with Twitchell’s large-scale mural “Ed Ruscha Monument” — a six-story portrait of fellow artist Ruscha on a building owned by the federal agency — being painted over in early June. Twitchell said he received no notice, as required by law, that the paint-over would take place.Within the past few days, two more downtown murals, Frank Romero’s “Going to the Olympics” and Willie Herrón’s “Luchas del Mundo” (Struggles of the World) were partly covered with mud-colored paint, an apparent error by a Caltrans work crew cleaning up graffiti.”
Celebrating Louis Sullivan’s 150th
Chicago is celebrating the 150th anniversary of architect Louis Sullivan with the restoration of the historic cornice of one of his iconic city buildings – the Carson Pirie Scott.
Shostakovich Over Prokofiev? But Why?
“It is striking to contrast the rise and rise of Shostakovich with the more ambiguous status of the Soviet Union’s other major composer of the 20th century, Sergei Prokofiev. While Shostakovich has managed, in death, to break free of Stalinism’s shackles, Prokofiev remains caught up by them.”
Artifact Looters Adapt As Greece, Italy Clamp Down
“Home to an estimated 34,000 archaeological sites, Greece is viewed as Europe’s biggest open-air museum. Along with Italy, it has attracted tomb raiders since before its foundation as a nation state in 1830. But Athens is toughening its stance, homing in on the dealers, curators and collectors that are the source of demand.” So the looters? Why they’re just moving on to easier pickings…