Peter Gelb got his first job at the Met, as an usher, when he was still a teenager. Now he’ll be expected to continue Joe Volpe’s successful run, and to steer the massive company through an increasingly difficult time for classical music in general. Gelb’s years at Sony Classical made him a target for purists – he shut down several specialty sub-labels and made “crossover” music a priority – and some longtime Met observers wonder if he will take a similarly commercial approach in his new post.
Tag: 10.30.04
How To Buy Art Without A Second Mortgage
New York’s Affordable Art Fair is a rarity – a major art event aimed squarely at ordinary people who have always assumed that collecting is outside their monetary means. “More than 130 galleries will offer original work by some 500 artists at the fair, and every piece is between $100 and $5,000. There will also be art demonstrations and tutorials on how to buy.”
Adjaye Unveils Denver MoCA Design
The design of the new permanent home of Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art has been unveiled, and it stands in stark contrast to the flashy, eye-catching architecture that currently dominates the museum scene. “[Architect David] Adjaye’s concept puts the emphasis on dramatic interior spaces. Rather than jutting angles, the 25,000-square-foot building offers a placid interplay of light… Most of the exterior will be sheathed in glass, its color yet to be determined. About a foot inside the glass will be walls of translucent plastic, which will… allow in some diffused light during the day and radiate a glow from inside at night.”
Chicago Negotiations Down To The Wire
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians’ contract will expire at midnight tonight, and the players have already cleaned out their lockers at Symphony Hall in anticipation of a possible strike. “CSO contract negotiations are usually contentious, and settlements typically come at the last minute. Though there was no strike in 2000, the talks that led to the CSO’s current four-year contract were regarded as particularly acrimonious.”
We’re Critics, Not PR Flaks
At the recent symposium on the future of classical music criticism, a familiar argument raged over the role of the critic in promoting the form. “The assumption seems to be that music journalists can help keep classical music alive by constantly writing how wonderful it is and how terrific all those folks are who play it.” But besides being an absurd line of reasoning, doesn’t cheerleading demean the whole idea of intelligent criticism? “Critics, in every field, are indeed advocates. But not only for performing artists. We also must consider the audience and defend them from mediocrity and worse. At the core of this job is an allegiance to great art, and to those who create it.”