The Black American playwright was inspired to adapt Lennon's In His Own Write by her son's Beatlemania. To her initial surprise, Kenneth Tynan picked up the play, and she watched the first performance next to Olivier, her hero. Most of the rest of the experience, though, was more dispiriting. - The Guardian
In recent decades, numerous studies have shown that kids who study music outperform their peers in a variety of realms. The problem is it is difficult to discern whether these benefits are the result of the lessons themselves or if kids who choose to study music are simply sharper than their nonmusical schoolmates. - San Francisco Classical Voice
"Despite the different time periods and languages used, the content of insults hasn't evolved: They're still highly personal barbs about people's courage (or lack thereof), status, competence, appearance, hygiene, sexual prowess and lineage." - The New York Times
"So are we on the cusp of major studios forcing Meryl Streep into a sequel by casting her digital double? Not quite. It's not that studios wouldn't want to. But, unions aside, A.I. can't replicate top-notch acting from scratch. Just yet." But here are four things it's already doing. - Slate
The Lebanese creative scene has never been more prosperous and vibrant: it has kept on blooming like an unlikely flower on a volcano’s crater. Painters, sculptors, poets, dancers, photographers, musicians, novelists, designers, playwrights, chefs, performers … these are the superheroes of our country. - The Guardian
Dance is far rarer than other art forms in prison arts programs: it "goes against prison-culture codes of masculine behavior." But two inmates decided to start what was, at first, an informal class — and they ended up working with Dimitri Chamblas, dean of dance at CalArts. - The New York Times
An Italian court has ruled in favor of Florence’s Gallerie dell’Accademia in its lawsuit against the publishing house Edizioni Conde Nast, which used an image of Michelangelo’s David without permission. - Artnet
A Safeway in San Francisco has been playing classical music from a speaker in a parking lot security tower for months in order to deter loitering. For some reason the company hasn't explained, the volume was turned as high as possible last weekend, drawing countless complaints. - MSN (San Francisco Chronicle)
In addition to knowing art history and being a good administrator and fundraiser, a museum director these days may have to address diversifying her curators, identifying and returning looted artworks, workers who are unionizing for the first time, and scrutiny of board members' wealth. - The New York Times
"Tim Sheader …, who currently runs Regent's Park Open Air theatre, will take over from Michael Longhurst in March 2024 and will also be the Donmar's joint chief executive alongside executive director Henny Finch." - The Guardian
"A colorful collection of wooden slats woven into a fence along the Richmond Parkway near the Chevron refinery, titled 'Fencelines: A Collective Monument to Resilience,' 'has been completely disappeared,' the sponsors announced in a statement." - MSN (San Francisco Chronicle)
The Amsterdam Avenue façade of the campus has always seemed sterile and forbidding, the tall, blank walls of the building giving the feeling of a fortress blocking out the neighbors (including the public housing across the street). This renovation aims to open the campus up. - The New York Times
She first conducted the orchestra, based in Katowice, a bit over two years ago; since then, she's led them in 15 concerts at home and a tour of Japan. Her term officially begins with this coming season, and she'll continue as chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. - Gramophone
"She also published graceful, incisive memoirs and poetry collections, even as she spent decades battling with those who sought to define her by the men in her life, including Picasso, her friend Henri Matisse and her second husband, American virologist Jonas Salk, who helped eradicate polio." - MSN (The Washington Post)
Commissioned by the League, the report covers the ten-year period from the 2013-14 season through the 2022-23 season and presents analyses by orchestra role and demographic group, building upon the League’s landmark 2016 demographic study. - League of American Orchestras
