In the early 1960s, Lynne Desroches-Noblecourt’s friendships and grit proved essential to the success of her career’s crowning achievement: the seemingly quixotic campaign to save from destruction the temples, sculptures and artifacts at Abu Simbel, near Egypt’s border with Sudan. - Washington Post
China, with its legions of concertgoers and skepticism of Western ideals, has emerged as an attractive market for Russian artists aligned with Mr. Putin. - The New York Times
In 2019, Spotify claimed that 40,000 tracks were added each day to its platform. And by 2021, the number increased to 60,000. But last September, the CEOs of two major labels made the staggering claim that 100,000 songs were now getting released each day. - Ted Gioia
"Frustrated hopefuls like Lizzy once formed the backbone of America’s homespun cultural heritage, and without them, we’re headed toward a barren status quo of corporate art bound to leave the next wave of pioneers spiritually starved." - The Guardian (UK)
One librettist says, ""Opera just lends itself so well to Black stories because of its epicness, ... because of its fantastical ability to show the wonder and the power of such big feelings." - CBC
The story of the band Blood, Sweat & Tears' 1970 tour of Eastern bloc countries is bizarre, and sobering, a new documentary shows. "This isn’t a music doc, it’s a political thriller. ... It’s about a group of guys who unknowingly walked into this rat’s nest." - The New York Times
A letter posted on Twitter asked Polley to mail her Oscar back to California. "It said she could keep the award for one more week, ... but ultimately, it needed to be returned so it could go to the 'rightful' winner: All Quiet on the Western Front." - BBC
Siddal died young, and her husband Dante Gabriel Rossetti took up a lot of the air about the movement she was part of, both as model and as painter. "Regarded as an appendage to her husband, she remained unknown during her lifetime." - The Observer (UK)
"The styles explored by Sister Guèbrou ... were so singular in sound and structure that music scholars often puzzled over the main source of her inspiration — seamlessly mixing forms such as jazz, chamber music and rhythms from her homeland." - Washington Post
That's what a new UCLA report says. In Hollywood, "in nearly every job category, women and people of color remain underrepresented relative to the U.S. population. They’re also still likely to receive inequitable economic opportunities compared to white men." - HuffPost
"Joy, in her rage and her depression and her love, anchors the Best Picture sweep. The best goddamn film of the year, and all the leads were recognized except her." (But honestly, all of the Jobu Topakis out there knew this was going to happen.) - Tor Dot Com
It makes sense that we'd want these things. "In addition to providing the cozy fire of a feel-good story to warm your soul, these viral internet fictions can lull you into believing there's some justice in the world." And yet, no. - Wired
Bring on the metadata! "There feels like a genuine affection for the music in Apple Music Classical. ... But there are also just a lot of ways to find the music." - The Verge
The show had to learn "how different characters would have referred to the LAPD and FBI during in Depression-era L.A.; what words English- and Spanish-speakers would have used to protest and show dissent; what jump-rope songs would have been sung." - Los Angeles Times
