The revolution that was Michel Fokine – and then eclipsed. “Before Fokine, choreographer, set designer, costumer and composer each worked in isolation on a dance; Fokine set about bringing these arts together.” The onset of Nijinsky helped prematurely end Fokine’s career at age 34. – New Statesman
Tag: 09.18.00
BURNING AND DREAMING
Larry Harvey’s Burning Man Festival attracted 30,000 to the Nevada desert earlier this month. “‘This will be Rome to the colonies. The problem with utopias is that they are based on some theory of human nature,’ he says, as he is joined on his couch by a topless woman, a punk called Chicken John and a transvestite glam rock star named Adrian Roberts.” – Time Magazine
“AIDA” GETS THE AXE
Egypt’s lavish annual production of “Aida,” performed each autumn under Cairo’s pyramids, was abruptly cancelled by officials Monday. One possible cause? This year’s production coincided with Egypt’s general elections, and the opera has been criticized as an extravagant waste of public funds. – Yahoo! News (Reuters)
ANOTHER LOOK AT BERLIOZ
Berlioz’s excellent memoir is a model of the genre, as entertaining and eventful as any novel. Now a new biography attempts to fill in some of the holes. – The New Republic
THE MAHLERIZATION OF BEETHOVEN
After two weeks, the National Symphony’s tour through Mahler’s reinterpretations of the Beethoven symphonies concludes. It was revealing that “Mahler’s intent was not so much to alter Beethoven as to bring to light what is buried within his music. In Mahler’s hands, the modern orchestra can ‘restore’ lines that are lost, thoughts that get buried, details that are implicit but suppressed.” – Washington Post
MR. GRUMPY PARTY POOPER
I hate clapping along at concerts. “I don’t think the clapping has yet been brought forward as an issue, and in this time of Olympic-level whingeing and control, I think it’s time we looked at legislation to contain it. Of course, being in a crowd of rhythmless hand-bashers does have its spiritual upside. I now truly understand what the Buddhists mean when they talk about the beauty of the sound of one hand clapping.” – Sydney Morning Herald 09/18/00
CULTURAL AUSTRALIA
“Australian culture is for the most part deeply democratic, and joyously so as well. It is no longer “provincial”, a distant and nervous response to norms generated in imperial centres. It is the result of a bloodless and slow-developing social revolution conducted over 40 years as a small society grew larger and immeasurably more complex, shook off its sense of derivative Englishness and its fear of American domination, and learned to trust its own talents.” – The Guardian 09/18/00
NATIONAL TREASURES
“Today at the White House, the Smithsonian Institution will confer on Frank O. Gehry and Apple Computer the status of national treasures.” – Washington Post 09/18/00
YEARNING FOR E-LEARNING
Textbook publishers have been slow to hit the internet, but that’s all changing. “Now it’s a race. If you don’t have a significant e-learning strategy then you’re going to be left behind.” – Wired 09/18/00
ARE LIBRARIES VIABLE?
In a few years, if students can get all their research online and access most books electronically, does that mean the traditional library will be obsolete? – Wired 09/18/00