The president of the National Constitution Center has stepped down — just as America kicks off its 250th birthday year — plunging the nation’s only Constitution-dedicated museum into turmoil (The Guardian). Pennsylvania, for its part, is rebranding its arts council as “Pennsylvania Creative Industries” and reorienting grants toward economic development rather than artistic merit — arts organizations are not pleased (WHYY). The Taliban, meanwhile, burned hundreds of musical instruments seized by morality police in Parwan province (Afghanistan International).
Two deaths worth noting: José Van Dam, one of the 20th century’s great lyric baritones, is gone at 85 (Moto Perpetuo), and David Hays — founding artistic director of the National Theater of the Deaf and designer of over 50 Broadway productions — died at 95 (The New York Times). The Venezuelan classical musician pipeline that has stocked orchestras worldwide may be under threat from political instability at home and Trump’s visa restrictions here (WBEZ).
The V&A has acquired the first video ever uploaded to YouTube — 18 seconds of a man at a zoo — as a cultural artifact (CNN). The RSC, not to be outdone, is staging a Game of Thrones prequel (The Guardian).
All of our stories below.
