After four years, the Detroit Symphony has decided not to renew Itzhak Perlman’s contract as the orchestra’s principal guest conductor. “Though Perlman, one of the world’s most famous violinists, will no longer hold an official post, his relationship with the DSO — which has blossomed from a risky experiment into a rousing artistic and marketing success — will continue.”
Tag: 11.14.04
Ailey: Home In Kansas City
For 20 years, the Alvin Ailey Company’s second home has been Kansas City. “Mr. Ailey saw Kansas City as a great environment for his ideas of bringing dance back to the people. He loved the whole communal part of it, he loved those lecture-demonstrations all over the city and the master classes, and he went to them.”
Of Thee I Sing (In Praise Of Choruses)
There are thousands of choruses in America. But “I often wonder why so many of us have such a poor image of choral singing. Is it because almost anyone who can sing can be a member? Do we think only those who play instruments are “real” musicians? Did we have a poor experience in school? Did we suffer through ill-prepared programs sung by poor voices? Or is it that we only support “big-name” groups under world-famous conductors?”
Northern Lights – Will New Music Center Transform North England?
“Sage Gateshead, a £70m music centre designed by Foster and Partners, could completely reorient Britain’s artistic map when it opens on December 17. It won the biggest lottery grant in the country outside London – £47m – and is the latest and most ambitious of Gateshead’s confident wedge of new landmarks, alongside the Baltic art gallery and the blinking-eye bridge.”
Architect To The Art Stars
For two decades, Richard Gluckman, now 57, has been known as the artists’ architect, designing luminous gallery spaces in Chelsea for clients like Larry Gagosian and Mary Boone and larger projects like the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and the Museo Picasso in Málaga, Spain. But now, in a case of career following title, he actually has become an architect for artists, designing the personal work spaces for some of the most prominent figures in contemporary art.”
Opera Singers – Does Size Matter?
How much should physical appearance count for opera singers? “Vocal endowment is obviously the most important factor in casting a role, but is it everything? Shouldn’t the element of drama in opera demand that singers look reasonably like the characters they portray? And what about the new generation? Do younger singers who have grown up in a visually oriented age believe that looking good and staying in shape are prerequisites for a career?”
The Women Pianists
The world of concert pianists has traditionally been male. “But things have begun to change, especially in the past decade or so. Although it’s impossible to make precise comparisons, more top-drawer female pianists are probably touring internationally today than ever before.”
Can Boston Sustain A Theatre Boom?
Across Boston, new theatres are being built. “This growth, though, comes with a sobering reality. Theaters have more seats to fill, more competition, and more unknowns. That has some local theater directors a little nervous.”
The Culture Show – A Considered Opinion
The BBC’s new The Culture Show debuted to a million viewers last week. So what do the arts professionals think of the show?
Disposable Idea – Self-Destructing DVDs
Disposable DVDs haven’t taken off with the public as many thought they wold. “Each disc contains a chemical time-bomb that begins ticking once it’s exposed to air. Typically, after 48 hours, the disc turns darker, becoming so opaque that a DVD player’s laser can no longer can read it. (Discs can live as little as one hour or as long as 60 hours.) The format has been around for a few years but hasn’t generated much interest from movie studios, video rental companies — or customers — despite experiments to deliver movies direct to consumers and eliminate late fees.”