The museum commemorating the World Trade Center and 9/11 has expanded enormously. “The memorial and its museum have quietly become an $800 million enterprise, $500 million of which must be privately raised. That’s almost five times the figure for the World War II Memorial in Washington, which honored the sacrifice of 400,000 soldiers and the service of some 16 million men and women. The museum alone is bigger than either the Whitney or the Ellis Island museums.”
Tag: 10.18.05
A Booker Prize For Theatre?
Playwrights have difficulty getting attention”The Manchester Royal Exchange theatre is hoping to redress that balance with the Bruntwood Playwriting Competition, a national contest to discover and celebrate Britain’s best writers for the theatre. Launching next month, the competition has a prize fund of £45,000 and offers the winner a fully staged production in the Royal Exchange’s 750-capacity main house theatre. A runner-up play will be staged at the theatre’s smaller, 120-seat studio.”
The Tear Down – Too Fast In The Big Easy?
There seems to be an awful rush to tear down buildings in New Orleans and rebuild. But what about historic preservation? “What’s needed first are conscientious, comprehensive surveys conducted by experts in construction, architecture, engineering and preservation–people who can examine an older building’s condition, evaluate its historical and architectural significance and determine the feasibility or advisability of saving it.”
A New Orleans Of Fake History?
“For decades now, the architectural mainstream has accepted the premise that cities can exist in a fixed point in historical time. What results is a fairy tale version of history, and the consequences could be particularly harsh for New Orleans, which was well on its way to becoming a picture-postcard vision of the past before the hurricane struck. Now, with the city at its most vulnerable, such voices threaten to drown out all others.”
Australian Opera Can Now Pay To Play
Australian Opera’s budget uncertainty has come out of limbo. “The State Government has agreed to make $225,000 available to the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, to satisfy a condition for the Federal Government to provide funding, too. Until Friday, Opera Australia had been unable to finalise contracts with 2007 season performers because of the budgeting uncertainties.”