“Two of Britain’s most-renowned architects are in the running for the single most audacious renovation in history: the redevelopment of Mecca. Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid are among 18 architects to have been approached about redesigning Islam’s holiest city by building a mosque complex to host the three million Haj pilgrims who visit every year.”
Tag: 11.28.08
Superman And Apollo – Compare And Contrast
“Is there any difference between the modern pantheon of superheroes and the myths of the Greeks or the Vikings? The sheer richness and resonance we find in these fabulous beings – the darkness of Batman, the sensitivity of Spiderman, the purity of Superman – resembles the richness of interpretation and portrayal that has made the Greek myths survive into modern times. You can even draw direct parallels between the comic book heroes and the ancient heroes and gods. Superman is Apollo and, in moments of extreme action, Hercules. Batman is Achilles. Spiderman is Mercury.”
The Enterprising, Confounding Sarah Caldwell
“It wasn’t easy to take a good photograph of Caldwell, who neglected her appearance and often weighed 300 pounds. But as these two volumes demonstrate, it’s even harder to get a clear image of Caldwell’s personality, her legacy, and whatever it was that drove her to become one of the most respected, and frustrating, opera leaders in America.”
The New Broom Sweeps Clean In Sydney
“Rafael Bonachela, the new artistic director of the Sydney Dance Company, has taken a knife to the company, shedding seven dancers [out of 17] and seeking to put two more on contracts lasting less than a year. The SDC also sacked four administrative staff and wants to move four full-time members of its production team onto casual contracts in response to the economic downturn… The changes cap off a horrendous period in the company’s history. In the past two years, the SDC has endured financial troubles, plummeting morale and the tragic death of Tanja Liedtke, its artistic director-designate.”
Is Shakespeare Falling Out Of Favor In Schools?
The scrapping of a standardized test on Shakespeare in UK schools was meant to give teachers the freedom to approach the Bard’s plays more creatively. “However, one of the unintended consequences of the announcement seems to be that Shakespeare is falling off the curriculum by default.”
Marsé Wins Spain’s Biggest Literary Prize
“The Cervantes prize, the Spanish-language equivalent of the Nobel prize for literature, has been awarded to Catalan novelist Juan Marsé for a body of work focusing on the hardships of life in post-civil war Spain.” The award comes with a €125,000 ($158,500) cash prize.
The Plane’s Late, But You’re In Luck: The Concert’s Starting
“It was an odd sight, to be sure: a rock show amid a tempest of luggage carts, weary airline crews and rushed passengers.” It was part of You Are Hear, a curated series of concerts at San Francisco International Airport, intended “to give travelers and the 30,000 employees at the airport a bit of entertainment during the hectic holiday season, and maybe make the whole travel routine a little less stressful for everyone involved.”
A New Routine: Obama A Game-Changer For Black Comics
“If the 2008 election signals a sea change in American racial and class attitudes, the first signs are likely to come from African-American comedians. At comedy venues all over Los Angeles, they’re trying out new material about Obama – his nearly angelic politeness, his youth, vigor, good looks, and model family.”
Chicago Library Raises The Stakes For Tardy Borrowers
“One measure of the nation’s economic woes may be in billions and billions of bailout money, but another is in dimes. Starting Jan. 1, the city of Chicago will charge 20 cents a day for overdue library books instead of a dime.” It’s still a bargain compared to New York and Los Angeles.
Was Economy The Culprit In Guare Play’s Cancellation?
“How handy it is these days for producers to blame ‘the economy’ whenever a show falls apart. And how easily the media accept it. The latest example: The cancellation, on the eve of rehearsals, of John Guare’s new play, ‘A Free Man of Color,’ at The Public Theater.”