“The sheer complexity of running a major opera house puts opera companies on the cutting edge of operations, with every step of the process scrutinized to maximize time and money, both precious elements in eternally short supply. Logistics, originally a military concept, is the science (and art) of getting the right people and equipment in the right place at exactly the right time. Since opera is a real-time performance, that means getting musicians into the pit, the audience seated, the lights down, the sets ready and the singers on and offstage at show time.”
Tag: 12.04.05
A Scottish tate Modern? Hmnnnn…
The Scottish government is studying an idea of transforming an old building into A Scottish version of Tate Modern or the Guggenheim. “Arts insiders say the 15,000sqm building could become a Scottish version of the Tate Modern or the Guggenheim.” But Sir Timothy Clifford, the flamboyant director general of the National Gallery of Scotland, has told culture minister Patricia Ferguson that the project smacked of “regional towns in England.”
Why Publishers’ Obsession With Short Attention Spans?
There’s research to say that’s what people are afflicted with. But “the data that exist come from people with short attention spans, the kind who participate in focus groups and telephone surveys relied on by corporate research. Guess what? SAS in, SAS out. Well-educated, successful people with good incomes and long attention spans don’t waste time on focus groups or telephone marketing surveys. They’re too busy reading books, serious magazines, and long-form journalism.”
Actress Drought For Oscar
It’s been such a bad year for actresses in Hollywood, that it’s difficult to find worthy nominees for Oscar. “There are names being bandied about, but they’re the product of desperation rather than honest cultural buzz, and they go to the heart of what’s wrong with Hollywood at the moment. More than ever, male movie stars sell movies. Consequently, more than ever movies are built around male roles. Increasingly, the pickings for women aren’t just slim but nonexistent.”
Milwaukee Has A Public Art Problem
“How is it possible a city now defined around the world by its art museum could suffer such a drought when it comes to public art? This is a question that is raised perennially, with lots of strong opinions voiced and little change resulting.”
Second Thoughts About Denver’s New Opera House
Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Opera House opened to lots of praise this fall. “But it didn’t take long for the positive to turn negative. Suddenly, according to certain music critics and members of the public, this, that or something else is wrong with the same building that was so effusively extolled just weeks earlier. Everything from the angle of the seats to the shortage of drinking fountains to even the positioning of the Dale Chihuly chandelier came under attack.”
Hollywood Discovers God (Again)
“The story of the current rise of Christianity in Hollywood is a tale of the lion, the nun and the billionaire. The movie industry has become a big time born-again believer after experiencing the power of faith-based marketing.”
Movie Theatres Equip For Blind, Deaf
“Nationwide, more than 150 movie theaters have added special systems to help the deaf, hard of hearing, blind or visually impaired, according to the nonprofit National Center for Accessible Media. Most of those theaters are in major cities that made the move voluntarily, but states are now putting pressure on theater chains to spread the technology much farther or risk discrimination lawsuits.”
Tallest Building May Be Causing Quakes
The world’s tallest skyscraper – in Taiwan – specially built to withstand earthquakes, may be causing more quakes because of its immense weight. “The pressure of the building’s 700,000 tons on the ground may be leading to increased seismic activity. The tremors could be a direct result of the loading of the mega-structure.”
Texting Your Concert
Artists are finding ways to communicate with their fans in concerts with text messages. “Fans attending these concerts were invited to text messages to a pre-set code that let them post messages to large screens near the stage, as well as compete in trivia contests for the chance to win better seats or VIP backstage passes and to buy concert merchandise.”