“They may be less all-encompassing than the famous symphonies, but Mahler’s songs are miniature masterpieces, ranking alongside the greatest by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf. They are marvels: songs as expressive and finely crafted as the famous symphonies are visceral and overwhelming.” - The Guardian
“Historically, Hollywood has played a double role in U.S. soft power: It gave the country global relevance as a source of popular culture that was attractive in its own right, and it also presented an attractive ethical system and way of life that was distinct from that experienced elsewhere." - The Hollywood Reporter
“Despite the small budget, the film went on to become a comedy classic that influenced Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons and countless other comedies. Now 50 years after its release, it continues to serve as inspiration for new generations of comedians and writers.” - NPR
Ric Grenell, reacting Wednesday to headlines about cast members of Les Misérables who are planning to boycott President Donald Trump’s scheduled appearance next month, demanded career-altering consequences for “vapid and intolerant artists.” - The Daily Beast
Rather than freezing, fleeing or fighting, I propose that you forge. Forging ahead is an intentional approach to engaging with people who say or write offensive, disparaging, insulting or discriminating words. - Psyche
“Anyone trying to draw any conclusions about the success or appeal of movie theatres from the results of the first quarter of 2025 is likely to be mistaken, because the industrywide domestic box office in Q1 was in our view a distorting anomaly that has already corrected itself." - Deadline
Michael Billington: “There is more to (Arthur Miller’s play) than a single political parallel and, whenever I see the play, I am struck by its capacity to take on new meanings and to reflect the pressure of the times. I would cite three revivals in proof.” - The Guardian
This French museum’s show offers a flashback to the era when, apart from the works including those displayed here, the artists who created them were reviled and persecuted. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
The company said operating profit at its domestic theme park division had climbed 13 percent from a year earlier, to $1.82 billion. Revenue increased 9 percent, to $6.5 billion. Park attendance was up. Hotel room bookings were up. And spending on merchandise and food was up. - The New York Times
The concept of “cultural-retail” has seeped into the fabric of Hong Kongers’ lives, with new properties such as Airside and The Henderson finding inspiration and creating a vision for a Hong Kong that appreciates art and cultural experiences. - HypeBeast
“The highly resistant mold covers objects in a white coating and has been detected in 12 museums, including the National Museum of Denmark and Skagens Museum. Known as aspergillus section restricti, it belongs to a group of fungi that can survive in extreme environments such as the deep ocean or near volcanoes.” - The Guardian
The sheer size of Classical California’s listenership is remarkable in the face of algorithmic streams and the wide array of music available only a few clicks away. - San Francisco Classical Voice
All 10 directors who oversee grants in various disciplines of the arts — such as museums, theater, design, and folk and traditional arts — are leaving the agency, according to a review of emails obtained by The Washington Post. - Washington Post (MSN)
In recent years, the idea has made the leap to the MAGA right. Along the way, it has become something very different: not a tool to more equitably distribute educational resources but a weapon to make elite higher education poorer, weaker, and less influential. - The Atlantic (MSN)
“Some authors say they're out thousands of dollars after carting books and merchandise to Baltimore for the event” — A Million Lives Book Festival — “and not being able to recoup the costs. … “(Organizer) Archer Management has since apologized for the entire event and stated that refunds are being processed automatically.” - CBC
