AJ Four Ways: Text Only (by date) | headlines only
DANCE
IDEAS
- 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!)
- Swan Lake Moves to Belle Époque Paris
Good Morning,
Today’s highlights: Xander Parish, the first British principal of Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet, left in 2022 and will open the Nouveaux Ballets Russes in Florence on March 14 with a Swan Lake set in Belle Époque Paris, directed by an opera stager and built with projection mapping and holograms (Pointe). Lookingglass, the Chicago ensemble theatre whose alumni include Mary Zimmerman and David Schwimmer, has named two artistic directors and made Schwimmer producing director, with one show a year likely to be co-produced with New York partners to “spread the risk of original work” (Chicago Tribune).
England’s national museums will stay free to overseas visitors, though Baroness Hodge’s review had pointed to New Zealand and Singapore as models for charging them; the government said a fee could deter domestic visitors (The Independent). At the Whitney, the union wants a $34-an-hour floor, and its chair, Derrick Charles, earns $24; a strike is set for October 5, three days before previews of the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective (ARTnews).
The Nashville Symphony suspended its season effective October 18 and furloughed all 77 musicians; new CEO Mark Cantrell blamed a deficit of $10 million and years of reliance on one donor (The Tennessean). Deniz Göktaş, a 32-year-old Turkish stand-up, received 19 months for insulting religious values and President Erdoğan in a special that has drawn 9.5 million views; he is free pending appeal (AP).
All of our stories below.
- “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
- 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
- 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
ISSUES
- Influential MoMA Curator To Retire
Ann Temkin has been a curator at the museum since 2003 and was promoted to chief curator in 2008, becoming the first woman to lead MoMA’s richest and most powerful department. – The New York Times
- A Reprieve For Philly’s Academy of Natural Sciences?
Drexel says that while it appreciates the William Penn Foundation’s “public suggestion that it assist in temporarily keeping the Academy’s museum open,” they have “not received a formal proposal with a defined level of financial support.” – Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
- Whitney Museum Staffers Are Going On Strike Right Before Major Roy Lichtenstein Retrospective
“Unionized staff at the Whitney Museum of Art will begin striking on Monday, October 5, if they cannot reach a contract agreement with the museum, Local 2110 UAW announced. … (That’s) only three days before member and press previews open for the museum’s major Roy Lichtenstein retrospective (the show opens to the public October 11).” – ARTnews
- England’s National Museums Will Keep Free Admission For Everyone, UK Government Confirms
“The decision follows months of discussions between the Government, museums, the tourism sector and local leaders to examine whether charging tourists from abroad could boost the institutions’ finances. … Free entry to museums was introduced by Sir Tony Blair’s government in 2001.” – The Independent (UK)
- What Will Westminster Do With Banksy’s Flag Statue?
“The council said it had spent almost £60,000 on safety barriers, administration and for a security guard to keep watch over it.” – BBC
MEDIA
- 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
- Maine’s Small-Town “Opera Houses,” Really Performing Arts And Community Centers
The late 19th century saw a wave of American towns building what they called opera houses. They presented all kinds of entertainment, from plays to vaudeville to lectures to magic shows (and yes, occasionally touring opera and classical music artists). Here are five in Maine which are still thriving. – The New York Times
- Pittsburgh Arts Groups Are Fundraising For Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars
“Given sweeping changes in the arts and nonprofit ecosystems both locally and nationally since early 2025, many original benchmarks and timelines included are no longer realistic,” according to the Downtown nonprofit’s funding application. – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- The Checks And Balances That Could Have Saved The Kennedy Center Failed
Even as these and other construction-related lawsuits are pending, the Trump administration has proven its willingness and ability to build, renovate or destroy federal landmarks without clear authority to do so. – The Conversation
- The NAZA Filmmakers Defend Themselves And The Film At Its NY Premiere
“’These crimes that you saw are ongoing,’ Abraham said. ‘They’re ongoing because it’s what our country is doing, and because of what your country is supporting and funding.’” – The Guardian (UK)
MUSIC
- 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
- Booksellers Are Sounding The Alarm About A Presidential Memorandum
“The presidential security memo issued last year specifically targets what the regime sees as leftist ideas in books, zines, and other publications, which is a major concern for all of us that care about books and freedom of expression.” – LitHub
- Rose Tremain Knows Her Generation Of Novelists Is Dying, But She’ll Keep Going As Long As She Can
“Contrary to what publishers hope and expect, serious writers don’t think obsessively about readers, or even about sales, royalties and prizes. What we talk to each other about, what we dream of, what we can’t live without is the work itself.” – The Guardian (UK)
- Ashland, Oregon, Is Known For Its Shakespeare Fest, But Now It’s Got A Murder Fest As Well
OK, you could argue that Shakespeare is a murderfest of his own, but “Mystery Fest has given cozy mystery fans a new reason to discover Ashland, attracting readers who might not otherwise have put the city on their travel list.” – Oregon ArtsWatch
PEOPLE
- 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!)
- Swan Lake Moves to Belle Époque Paris
Good Morning,
Today’s highlights: Xander Parish, the first British principal of Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet, left in 2022 and will open the Nouveaux Ballets Russes in Florence on March 14 with a Swan Lake set in Belle Époque Paris, directed by an opera stager and built with projection mapping and holograms (Pointe). Lookingglass, the Chicago ensemble theatre whose alumni include Mary Zimmerman and David Schwimmer, has named two artistic directors and made Schwimmer producing director, with one show a year likely to be co-produced with New York partners to “spread the risk of original work” (Chicago Tribune).
England’s national museums will stay free to overseas visitors, though Baroness Hodge’s review had pointed to New Zealand and Singapore as models for charging them; the government said a fee could deter domestic visitors (The Independent). At the Whitney, the union wants a $34-an-hour floor, and its chair, Derrick Charles, earns $24; a strike is set for October 5, three days before previews of the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective (ARTnews).
The Nashville Symphony suspended its season effective October 18 and furloughed all 77 musicians; new CEO Mark Cantrell blamed a deficit of $10 million and years of reliance on one donor (The Tennessean). Deniz Göktaş, a 32-year-old Turkish stand-up, received 19 months for insulting religious values and President Erdoğan in a special that has drawn 9.5 million views; he is free pending appeal (AP).
All of our stories below.
- “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
- 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
- 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
PEOPLE
- 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!)
- Swan Lake Moves to Belle Époque Paris
Good Morning,
Today’s highlights: Xander Parish, the first British principal of Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet, left in 2022 and will open the Nouveaux Ballets Russes in Florence on March 14 with a Swan Lake set in Belle Époque Paris, directed by an opera stager and built with projection mapping and holograms (Pointe). Lookingglass, the Chicago ensemble theatre whose alumni include Mary Zimmerman and David Schwimmer, has named two artistic directors and made Schwimmer producing director, with one show a year likely to be co-produced with New York partners to “spread the risk of original work” (Chicago Tribune).
England’s national museums will stay free to overseas visitors, though Baroness Hodge’s review had pointed to New Zealand and Singapore as models for charging them; the government said a fee could deter domestic visitors (The Independent). At the Whitney, the union wants a $34-an-hour floor, and its chair, Derrick Charles, earns $24; a strike is set for October 5, three days before previews of the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective (ARTnews).
The Nashville Symphony suspended its season effective October 18 and furloughed all 77 musicians; new CEO Mark Cantrell blamed a deficit of $10 million and years of reliance on one donor (The Tennessean). Deniz Göktaş, a 32-year-old Turkish stand-up, received 19 months for insulting religious values and President Erdoğan in a special that has drawn 9.5 million views; he is free pending appeal (AP).
All of our stories below.
- “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
- 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
- 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
THEATRE
VISUAL
- 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
- Why America Looks The Way It Does
It would be hard to overstate how ignorant the Founders of the United States were about their own country. The main map they’d used to negotiate the postwar peace with Britain was woefully inaccurate. – The New Yorker
- AI And The Flattening Of Creative Aesthetic
Like the coffee shops of 2016, widespread AI adoption is generating a massive amount of content and products that share an eerie sameness. – Noema
- Habermas’ Ideas On Public Debate
He explained the three types of discourse that characterise deliberation – moral, ethical, and pragmatic – and was clear that when it comes to the moral, there are no experts: only individuals working out, together, what’s right in a given context. – Aeon