Today's Stories

Atlanta Symphony’s Nathalie Stutzmann On Working With Orchestras

"I think musicians are artisanal people. Every morning we have to try to do better. We have to start again — to practice. Why do we practice every day? Why do we question every day a score? Why do we reread a score that we have known for 40 years?" - ArtsATL

“Glee”s Outsized Impact On Broadway

In the 11 years since the last episode of “Glee” aired, one thing has become clear: The TV series was a game changer for musical theater. - The New York Times

Stage Manager – The Most Stressful Job In The Arts

In theatre – and across dance, opera, musicals and concerts – the stage manager is like the air traffic controller of the production. Without them, chaos would ensue, yet they rarely get acknowledged. - ArtsHub

Houston’s Oldest Black Theater Company Is Now 50

“Back in the mid-1970s, the late George Hawkins, founder of the Ensemble Theatre, imagined a place where Black actors could find work and perform plays that mattered. Even after he passed away, in 1990, his legacy and that dream continue to grow as the Ensemble prepares for its 50th-anniversary season starting this fall.” - Texas Observer

Utah Bans Even More Books From Public Schools

Utah just banned seven more books from all public schools — the most it has ever banned in a single go since the state’s sensitive materials law went into effect. The additions bring the total number of books now prohibited in Utah public schools to 44. - Salt Lake Tribune

World Monuments Fund: Funding Is The Biggest Threat To World Heritage

Of 372 nominations for the 2027 Watch list, 65% of nominators cited funding shortages and economic development as a primary challenge, up from 55% in 2024. - The Art Newspaper

Our Free Newsletters

Your eyes on the world through a culture lens

By Biological Definition, AI Is Life

There is nothing artificial about systems built from real atoms, powered by real electricity, running in real machines. The systems reproduce, vary, adapt, undergo selection and gather energy from their environment. By any working definition that draws on biology rather than philosophy or religion, that is life. - Noema

Choreographer Pam Tanowitz, Contemporary Dance Star, On Working With Ballet Companies

“Yes, I am a ballet outsider. I don’t have all the ballet steps at my fingertips but I have a list of ballet steps and I go through them like a laundry list and experiment. … It’s hard to separate the two systems now. I have my own ideas no matter what.” - The Times (UK)

After 40 Years, Segerstrom Center Is Thriving, Bringing L.A.-Level Performing Arts To Orange County

Building a Lincoln Center-style multi-venue arts center in a county that was a byword for conservative suburbia seemed improbable in 1986, but philanthropist Henry Segerstrom pulled it off. Now, after getting hit hard by the pandemic, the complex is back on track, with a $14.6 million surplus last year. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Judge Throws Out Alec Baldwin’s Lawsuit Against Prosecutor Who Tried “Rust” Shooting Case

“A federal judge on Wednesday threw out much of Baldwin‘s civil rights lawsuit against prosecutors in the Rust case, finding they are entitled to prosecutorial immunity. Baldwin sued last year, alleging he was the victim of an out-of-control prosecution that wrongly sought to convict him for the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.” - Variety

It Was Challenge After Challenge To Get Calder’s Clouds Back In Place At The Senate Office Building

They came down in the first place because they were too heavy, so they were remade. Restorers had to find a motor to move them the way Calder intended. Installing them in a Congressional building meant extra bureaucratic hurdles. And the particular black paint Calder used had been discontinued. - The New York Times

Moribund San Antonio Philharmonic Sues Brand-New Orchestra Harmonium Of Texas

“The Philharmonic alleges (Harmonium founder) Jeffrey Kahane misled the (Philharmonic) when he resigned (as its music director) in January … (and) that Kahane used ‘trade secrets’ to which he had access — including donor lists and an email marketing list — to assist him in starting the competing orchestra.” - San Antonio Express-News (Yahoo!)

Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Clears Final Hurdle As Judge Approves Lawsuit Settlement

“On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, who is overseeing the antitrust case aimed at blocking the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal approved Paramount’s settlement with the 12 Democratic state attorneys general who brought the case to resolve the litigation.” - Variety

Blind Man Sues British Museum Over Lack Of Bayeux Tapestry Audio Guide

“Dr. Yusuf Ali Osman alleges that the museum is breaching equality laws by failing to provide audio-described tours of the exhibition for blind visitors.” - The Independent (UK)

How Does Broadway’s Current Longest-Running Musical Keep Going? Celebrity Stunt Casting, Of Course

The lead producers of Chicago, Fran and Barry Weissler, now make a point of having someone in the cast with a following from outside Broadway — from film, scripted television, or, most recently, reality TV such as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Vanderpump Rules, and America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. - Billboard

It’s Getting More And More Difficult To Tell What’s Real

Life on the internet has become, among other things, a test of patience and an experience of gruelling duration; the ad somehow continued for more than three minutes. A captive audience, it turns out, gets crude digital puppetry as its just deserts. - The New Yorker

It Seems Queen Elizabeth I Did Not Write All Her Letters — Particularly The Furious Ones

A researcher has analyzed more than 500 of her “scribal letters” — correspondence from the queen but in the handwriting of her secretaries, notably principal royal secretary Francis Walsingham — and found that they sometimes altered the queen’s own language for strategic reasons, including to make her appear even angrier than she was. - Smithsonian Magazine

Humanists Versus AI

The vibes, less pollable but perhaps no less palpable, are noxious. Students boo speakers who extol A.I. in commencement addresses, and consumers deride celebrities and brands that embrace the technology. - The New Yorker

Lawsuit Over AI Music Pits Canadian Arts Against American AI Companies

AI music is becoming a battleground over the future of tech, culture and community. - The Conversation

Fresno Considering Privatizing Its Libraries

"Our public libraries are public and should stay public. We don't need private corporations coming in and laying people off and censoring material." - ABC Fresno

By Topic

By Biological Definition, AI Is Life

There is nothing artificial about systems built from real atoms, powered by real electricity, running in real machines. The systems reproduce, vary, adapt, undergo selection and gather energy from their environment. By any working definition that draws on biology rather than philosophy or religion, that is life. - Noema

It’s Getting More And More Difficult To Tell What’s Real

Life on the internet has become, among other things, a test of patience and an experience of gruelling duration; the ad somehow continued for more than three minutes. A captive audience, it turns out, gets crude digital puppetry as its just deserts. - The New Yorker

Humanists Versus AI

The vibes, less pollable but perhaps no less palpable, are noxious. Students boo speakers who extol A.I. in commencement addresses, and consumers deride celebrities and brands that embrace the technology. - The New Yorker

What The Latest Studies Say About How Our Brains Change Using AI

Across millions of math sessions by a group that ranged from fifth graders to college students, the researchers compared performance from before 2022, when ChatGPT first came out, with the work that followed its arrival. - The New York Times

Middle Schoolers, Blocked From Most Social Media, Turn Comments On An NPR Podcast Into A Hangout Spot

“When Glass asked one of the kids why they picked this particular podcast, they said, ‘We just, like, looked for podcasts that didn’t have many comments.’” Ouch. But also, creative as heck. - The Verge

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger On Creativity

A culture of creativity is also a culture accepting of failure. Creativity is not a science. You can’t possibly bat 1,000. There are inevitable failures, and it’s really important to know as a culture how to process failure so that when you do, it doesn’t destroy people’s ability to continue to create. - Harvard Business Review

After 40 Years, Segerstrom Center Is Thriving, Bringing L.A.-Level Performing Arts To Orange County

Building a Lincoln Center-style multi-venue arts center in a county that was a byword for conservative suburbia seemed improbable in 1986, but philanthropist Henry Segerstrom pulled it off. Now, after getting hit hard by the pandemic, the complex is back on track, with a $14.6 million surplus last year. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Can Trump Really Demolish The Kennedy Center?

The legal fight over Mr. Trump’s takeover of the center has revolved largely around one important statute, first passed by Congress in 1958. It established a National Cultural Center and then was amended in 1964 to dedicate the institution to President Kennedy after his assassination. - The New York Times

Republican Senator Blocks Passage Of Bill To Prevent Demolishing The Kennedy Center

A bipartisan effort to ban the demolition of presidential memorials — including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — was blocked Monday night in the Senate by an objection from Sen.Mike Lee (R-Utah). - Washington Post

The Numbers Are Clear: Kennedy Center’s Finances Were Fine Before Trump, And They’re Disastrous Now

“In the 19 months since President Trump took over the Kennedy Center, the institution has borrowed everything its bank would lend it, dipped into money donors had given on condition it never be spent, and written off pledges from supporters who stopped paying.” - The Washington Post (MSN)

Carnegie-Mellon University Gets $3 Billion Gift To Build Campus In Miami

“The staggering amount (pledged by hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin) is the largest-ever gift by an individual in higher education, surpassing Michael Bloomberg’s $1.8 billion donation to Johns Hopkins in 2018. Griffin’s donation will be split: $1 billion will support CMU’s original campus in Pittsburgh and $2 billion will help launch CMU’s Miami campus.” - CNN

California Bans “Ghost” Ticketing

The law prohibits using software to get around ticket limits, queue and presale restrictions. It restricts websites and ads designed to make resellers look like authorized ticket sources. Sellers in violation could face misdemeanor charges and penalties. - Los Angeles Times

Atlanta Symphony’s Nathalie Stutzmann On Working With Orchestras

"I think musicians are artisanal people. Every morning we have to try to do better. We have to start again — to practice. Why do we practice every day? Why do we question every day a score? Why do we reread a score that we have known for 40 years?" - ArtsATL

Moribund San Antonio Philharmonic Sues Brand-New Orchestra Harmonium Of Texas

“The Philharmonic alleges (Harmonium founder) Jeffrey Kahane misled the (Philharmonic) when he resigned (as its music director) in January … (and) that Kahane used ‘trade secrets’ to which he had access — including donor lists and an email marketing list — to assist him in starting the competing orchestra.” - San Antonio Express-News (Yahoo!)

Lawsuit Over AI Music Pits Canadian Arts Against American AI Companies

AI music is becoming a battleground over the future of tech, culture and community. - The Conversation

Nashville Symphony CEO Steps Down Amid “Financial Emergency”

Mark Cantrell, who began in the job only two months ago, said “The Nashville Symphony's present circumstances demand plain speaking. For years, this institution has operated on a financial foundation that could not sustain it. … The extraordinary generosity of one donor sustained the organization.” - The Tennessean (Yahoo!)

In Search Of The Perfect Audio Experience

The word audiophile — etymologically, one who “loves to hear” — has a wine-sipping pretension that I hate, but sometimes an ugly shoe fits. - n+1

Soprano Christine Goerke Launches New Organization To Present Vocal Music (Of All Kinds) In Detroit

She will be the artistic director, with Matthew Principe as executive director and creative strategist, of VOX Detroit, which will produce concerts of — as Goerke describes it — “opera, cabaret, musical theatre, song, recital, spoken word, and whatever wonderful things happen to fall in between.” - Detroit Free Press

World Monuments Fund: Funding Is The Biggest Threat To World Heritage

Of 372 nominations for the 2027 Watch list, 65% of nominators cited funding shortages and economic development as a primary challenge, up from 55% in 2024. - The Art Newspaper

It Was Challenge After Challenge To Get Calder’s Clouds Back In Place At The Senate Office Building

They came down in the first place because they were too heavy, so they were remade. Restorers had to find a motor to move them the way Calder intended. Installing them in a Congressional building meant extra bureaucratic hurdles. And the particular black paint Calder used had been discontinued. - The New York Times

Blind Man Sues British Museum Over Lack Of Bayeux Tapestry Audio Guide

“Dr. Yusuf Ali Osman alleges that the museum is breaching equality laws by failing to provide audio-described tours of the exhibition for blind visitors.” - The Independent (UK)

How The Architecture Of Sound Is Changing Cities

The sounds of the city weren’t just decorative, musical — they could define the physical contours of a space as dramatically as a concrete wall or an open door to the street. - Reasons to be Cheerful

Uzbekistan Now Has Its First Contemporary Art Museum Since Independence From The USSR

“Tashkent is reinventing itself. The Uzbek capital, which is home to 3 million, was once the fourth-largest city in the Soviet Union and has long been a cultural hub in Central Asia. … The Center for Contemporary Arts Tashkent has opened. It’s a watershed moment for the nation as it expands its cultural ambitions.” - Artnet

How Did The World’s Largest Collection Of Marcel Duchamp End Up In Philadelphia?

A forward-looking director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art wooed Duchamp, that’s how. Sidney Fiske Kimball “offered what Duchamp wanted: space and control. Lots of it.” - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

Utah Bans Even More Books From Public Schools

Utah just banned seven more books from all public schools — the most it has ever banned in a single go since the state’s sensitive materials law went into effect. The additions bring the total number of books now prohibited in Utah public schools to 44. - Salt Lake Tribune

It Seems Queen Elizabeth I Did Not Write All Her Letters — Particularly The Furious Ones

A researcher has analyzed more than 500 of her “scribal letters” — correspondence from the queen but in the handwriting of her secretaries, notably principal royal secretary Francis Walsingham — and found that they sometimes altered the queen’s own language for strategic reasons, including to make her appear even angrier than she was. -...

Fresno Considering Privatizing Its Libraries

"Our public libraries are public and should stay public. We don't need private corporations coming in and laying people off and censoring material." - ABC Fresno

“Jane Eyre” Is Now Part Of China’s Official High School Curriculum

“(Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel) has long been popular in China and was already recommended reading for schoolchildren. But this fall, ninth-grade students across the country are being required to read (it) in full. … One report in an official newspaper held it up as an anti-materialistic love story young people could learn from.” - The New...

Has The Kids Scholastic Book Fair Been Ruined?

If the goal is to celebrate books and reading and get kids excited… is a for-profit book fair the best way to do that? - LitHub

Novelist Louise Erdrich Wins $250K Dorothy And Lillian Gish Prize

The award, established by the estate of the silent film stars, is given for “an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind’s enjoyment and understanding of life.” Among previous winners are Gustavo Dudamel, Isabelle Allende, Merce Cunningham, Ava DuVernay, Laurie Anderson, Tricia Brown, Maya Lin, and Meredith Monk. - AP

Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Clears Final Hurdle As Judge Approves Lawsuit Settlement

“On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, who is overseeing the antitrust case aimed at blocking the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal approved Paramount’s settlement with the 12 Democratic state attorneys general who brought the case to resolve the litigation.” - Variety

The Downsides Of The Paramount/Warner Settlement

Layoffs seem inevitable, considering, again, the amount of debt Paramount has gone into just to acquire Warner Bros. The settlement demands that Paramount contribute $47.5 million to a “workforce fund” over five years to aid those laid off, but giant corporate mergers have a history of massive layoffs whose costs may exceed that sum. ...

Disney Co. Lays Off Hundreds Of Employees (Yet Again)

“On Tuesday, the ax fell. A few hundred employees, mostly in human resources and tech, were laid off, a person familiar with the situation confirms. … The cuts are the fourth round of layoffs this year.” - The Hollywood Reporter

“Look, I Think It’s All Not To Be Taken Too Seriously,” Says Tilly Norwood’s Creator

Eline van der Velden said that in response to a question about the AI-generated “actress” suddenly speaking in Cantonese during an interview. About Norwood’s future career, van der Velden said “We get loads of offers in, we’ve said no to anything (like) a traditional film, because that’s not what she’s made for.” - Variety

How One News Organization Went From Zero To 250,000 Subscribers

“It’s not just about a one and done, you know, ask for a payment and be done. We really want to nurture the relationship through the journey from anonymous all the way into a paying subscription, and we know that the majority of people aren’t going to ever come over to a paying subscription."...

Inside Those Spicy Microdrama Factories

It’s no secret that we’re kind of in a content race to the bottom right now. Social media and shortform video have pushed everything from music to documentaries into a race to truncate their lengths and make everything bite-size, in order to bend to the current of algorithm-centric audiences. - Slate

Choreographer Pam Tanowitz, Contemporary Dance Star, On Working With Ballet Companies

“Yes, I am a ballet outsider. I don’t have all the ballet steps at my fingertips but I have a list of ballet steps and I go through them like a laundry list and experiment. … It’s hard to separate the two systems now. I have my own ideas no matter what.” - The...

Kyle Abraham Renames His Dance Company (Again)

“Kyle Abraham’s company is now officially the Kyle Abraham Dance Vanguard. It’s not the first time the contemporary troupe has changed names: Abraham launched it in 2005 as Abraham.In.Motion, later revising it to A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in 2019.” - Dance Magazine

Xander Parish Opens New Dance Company Patterned After Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes

A Florence-based nonprofit, the New Generation Foundation, is backing the company, called the Nouveaux Ballets Russes. Parish, a Briton who was until 2022 a principal at Russia's Mariinsky Theater, is artistic director, and he aims, as Diaghilev did, to engage collaborators in the vanguard of art, music, tech, and fashion. - Pointe Magazine

Cuba’s Ballet Tradition Continues Amid Blackouts

For months, two-thirds of Cuba had no electricity at night. Some neighborhoods in the capital of Havana have been without running water for more than two weeks. Transportation is scarce and eggs, bread and cooking oil are hard to find. - AP News

The All-Night Song And Dance Parties Of Veracruz

“This syncopated, jubilant folk music is a melange of European, Caribbean and Indigenous influences. While fandangos — where folks gather to play their instruments, sing and dance — are more than 300 years old, their popularity is now spreading around the world.” - NPR

City Ballet Finally Gets A Woman On Its Choreography Staff

She - Tiler Peck - just happens to be a City Ballet principal dancer as well. - The New York Times

“Glee”s Outsized Impact On Broadway

In the 11 years since the last episode of “Glee” aired, one thing has become clear: The TV series was a game changer for musical theater. - The New York Times

Stage Manager – The Most Stressful Job In The Arts

In theatre – and across dance, opera, musicals and concerts – the stage manager is like the air traffic controller of the production. Without them, chaos would ensue, yet they rarely get acknowledged. - ArtsHub

Houston’s Oldest Black Theater Company Is Now 50

“Back in the mid-1970s, the late George Hawkins, founder of the Ensemble Theatre, imagined a place where Black actors could find work and perform plays that mattered. Even after he passed away, in 1990, his legacy and that dream continue to grow as the Ensemble prepares for its 50th-anniversary season starting this fall.” -...

How Does Broadway’s Current Longest-Running Musical Keep Going? Celebrity Stunt Casting, Of Course

The lead producers of Chicago, Fran and Barry Weissler, now make a point of having someone in the cast with a following from outside Broadway — from film, scripted television, or, most recently, reality TV such as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Vanderpump Rules, and America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. - Billboard

Why Does Contemporary Australian Theatre Ignore Class?

“Why are our playwrights so ill at ease with middle-class educated characters? ... In our contemporary affluent society, with its energetic social mobility, it is the middle class, not the working class, which gives Australia its character and flavour. - The Saturday Paper

Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Gets New Leadership, Including Famous Alumnus David Schwimmer

The new co-artistic directors are Ericka Ratcliff, most recently literary manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and longtime Lookingglass ensemble member David Catlin. Another longtime member, Philip R. Smith, will be executive director, while Schwimmer takes the new position of producing director, focusing on fundraising, marketing, board development and finding co-producing partners. - Chicago Tribune (Yahoo!)

Judge Throws Out Alec Baldwin’s Lawsuit Against Prosecutor Who Tried “Rust” Shooting Case

“A federal judge on Wednesday threw out much of Baldwin‘s civil rights lawsuit against prosecutors in the Rust case, finding they are entitled to prosecutorial immunity. Baldwin sued last year, alleging he was the victim of an out-of-control prosecution that wrongly sought to convict him for the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.” - Variety

Meet The 2026 MacArthur Fellows (The “Genius Grant” Winners)

The awardees working in the arts are choreographer Trajal Harrell, poet Layli Long Soldier, jazz saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins, novelists Maaza Mengiste and Bryan Washington, and artists Christine Sun Kim, Chip Thomas, Vincent Valdez and Rodney McMillian. - NPR

Turkish Comedian Sentenced To Prison For Insulting Both “Religious Values” And President Erdoğan

“Deniz Göktaş, 32, has been held jailed since July 3 after clips of one of his routines, which included a reference to Erdoğan as a ‘dictator,’ were circulated online. He was convicted Monday …, receiving a combined prison sentence of 19 months and 10 days.” He has been released pending an appeal. - AP

If You’re A Northern Irish Actor, You’ve Probably Been In A Show About The Troubles

Lola Petticrew wasn’t just in one show about the Troubles before she left Northern Ireland; she starred in - and was acclaimed for - two. “A lot of the questions that were raised were questions that I, as a young adult, have about how we heal and move on,” she said. - The New...

The Mighty Sparrow, One Of The Last Great Calypso Singers, Has Died At 91

“A singer, songwriter and guitarist, Sparrow — his given name was Slinger Francisco — was renowned for his sonorous voice, unremitting energy and extraordinary command of the verbal prestidigitation and sly double-entendre that are among the hallmarks of calypso lyrics.” - The New York Times

Sylvester Stallone Finally Reckons With Decades Of Trauma

“When I look at that footage, I look distorted. I was gone for a few seconds. Sometimes in acting or painting or writing, you just subliminally lose yourself. You do not know where you are. ... What was that?” - The New York Times

Our Free Newsletter

Daily Focus on Culture, Ideas, Arts

AJ Premium Classifieds

Artistic Director -Florida Studio Theatre working with Management Consultants for the...

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is seeking a talented theater professional to lead the planning and execution of the organization’s core programming as Artistic Director.

Managing Director -Florida Studio Theatre working with Management Consultants for the...

Florida Studio Theatre invites applications for its Managing Director, a role for individuals with strong talent for running complex, multi-venue producing operations.

General Manager, Campus and Event Operations – The Apollo via TOC...

The Apollo seeks a new General Manager, Campus and Event Operations.‍

Ready to Lead What’s Next in the Creative Industries?

Build the strategic, business, and leadership skills to shape what’s next across entertainment, media, arts, and culture. Earn your Northwestern Master’s in one year.

AJClassifieds

Director of the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance

The TCU School for Classical & Contemporary Dance invites applications for the position of Director and Associate/Full Professor. Review of applications begins November 15, 2026.

Lead Event Technical Director

Lead Event Technical Director: oversee technical operations, crew leadership, safety compliance, and client coordination; requires rigging, carpentry, audio, lighting expertise in fast-paced performing arts venue.

Cantabile Youth Singers – Executive Director

Cantabile Youth Singers seeks a collaborative, relationship-driven executive to expand the reach of its internationally recognized program, known for adventurous programming and exceptional music education.

Art Gallery of Alberta seeks Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer

Art Gallery of Alberta seeks Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer. Salary range is between $160,000-$200,000.

Assistant Professor of Dance in the College of Fine Arts

The TCU School for Classical & Contemporary Dance invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor of Dance. Review of applications begins November 1, 2026.

The Numbers Are Clear: Kennedy Center’s Finances Were Fine Before Trump, And They’re Disastrous Now

“In the 19 months since President Trump took over the Kennedy Center, the institution has borrowed everything its bank would lend it, dipped into money donors had given on condition it never be spent, and written off pledges from supporters who stopped paying.” - The Washington Post (MSN)

Nashville Symphony “Suspends” Its Season And Furloughs Its Musicians And Staff

“The Nashville Symphony has declared a state of 'financial emergency,' suspending the 2026-27 season effective Oct. 18, as well as furloughing roughly half their staff and all 77 members of the orchestra. At this time, 29 full-time Symphony staff members remain, while 27 were furloughed.” - The Tennessean (Yahoo!)

The Strike Is Over In Cleveland

“In a deal reached late Saturday night and ratified Sunday by the union, the two sides agreed to a three-year contract that includes a 5 percent annual raise for each of the three years, according to the orchestra.” - The New York Times

In Leipzig, Ousted Boston Symphony Orchestra Director Andris Nelsons Feels The Love

“When he conducts, he does not think in English or German or Latvian, even if that would be his own. But he thinks directly in music, and this is so direct. … Sometimes in a concert you have suddenly a new gesture never seen before, that everybody understands.” - Boston Globe

Sylvester Stallone Finally Reckons With Decades Of Trauma

“When I look at that footage, I look distorted. I was gone for a few seconds. Sometimes in acting or painting or writing, you just subliminally lose yourself. You do not know where you are. ... What was that?” - The New York Times

Haitian-Canadian Author’s Book Withdrawn From Goncourt Short List Over Accusations Of AI

“As critics sparred with defenders of Mr. Orélien, who is Black, over whether he was targeted because of his race and his book’s treatment of migrants, he was accused of plagiarism in earlier writings, inflaming the controversy.” - The New York Times

We Don’t Make People Pay To Access Public Parks

Public parks are widely considered a social good, and we know that because our tax dollars go to maintain them, we don’t have to pay every time we go to a park. What if the same were true for theatre? - American Theatre

A Guy Who Scammed Writers And Publishers For Years Sure Appears To Be Back, If Hidden, Online

“The messages bear the hallmarks of Bernardini’s original scheme: look-alike emails, carefully replicated fonts and signatures, fluency in industry slang and an intimate knowledge of relationships in the book world.” Then there are the poop emojis. - The New York Times

Mark Swed’s Farewell Column As L.A. Times Classical Music Critic

“When I accidentally stumbled into music criticism with an academic penchant for music analysis, my crutches for writing about music were technical and of little use in a newspaper. I had to find a way to simply listen. It gave me new ears, and I was hooked.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Mamdani And The Met To Give Away 70,000 Free Opera Tickets A Year

The program, which the mayor said would continue indefinitely, will draw from the pool of unsold tickets, which will be distributed by lottery via the Metropolitan Opera app. The catch: you’re not eligible if you’ve bought Met tickets any time since fall 2018. - The New York Times

Cleveland Orchestra Musicians On Strike

“Violinist Elayna Duitman, head of the (musicians’ negotiating) committee, said their pay lags both inflation and the other ‘Big Five’ orchestras in Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Chicago, while upper management is well-compensated. … Their most recent contract extension expired earlier this week.” - Ideastream Public Media (Cleveland)

Financial Crisis At Nashville Symphony, “Restructuring” Is Being Planned

Money troubles aren’t new to the orchestra, but in the wake of the recent death of longtime benefactor Martha Ingram, “the organization does not have sufficient cash on hand to sustain operations at its current level. The Symphony's executive committee is developing a restructuring plan designed to stabilize the organization.” - Nashville Scene

Subscribe to our newsletter

Join our 30,000 subscribers