It's been a quarter-century of ideas, fundraising, failed plans, failed lotteries, failed trusts - and a lot, lot, lot of donations. - The Observer (UK)
Outwardly and proudly sexist tradition, that is, as the Boys' Choir of St. John's College becomes simply "The Choir of St. John's College" — and as girls take their official places in the ranks. - The New York Times
"I think back to when I was her age, and I wonder how many terrific fight choreographers we missed out on because we had these preconceived notions about what fight choreographers looked like. We’ll never know." - Oregon ArtsWatch
"The danger, when you’re dealing with a bigger budget, is that in polishing it up, you might sand down all the things that made it wonderful." - Los Angeles Times
"Francesca Zambello, the artistic and general director of the Glimmerglass Festival, came up with a novel idea. 'I just said, ‘Let’s do a Rossini comedy that doesn’t exist yet.’'" Hence Tenor Overboard. - The New York Times
No, this isn't a return of an early meme. This is an action film, by the brothers who made Marvel zillions of dollars with the Avengers, that is Netflix's attempt to start an action franchise. - The New York Times
Rowan Moore says let the details go and save the monument by killing its Victorian darlings. "Think the unthinkable about heritage. For a feature of the building is the sheer expanse of intricate interior detail, much of which is never seen by the public." - The Observer (UK)
Kermani, 71, is a leading dancer and choreographer in Pakistan. "Over the decades, Kermani has defied rising Islamic conservatism in her country to perform publicly, earning criticism, threats and accolades" - and she's not slowing now. - Scroll
The singer, who became famous at 11, says, "It was a double-edged sword, but being a major-label artist, I felt like a commodity, a thing to be sold." - The Guardian (UK)
What is Medieval Times? Well: "Queens, knights, squires and stablehands at the Lyndhurst castle voted on Friday to unionize." Audience members get rowdy; horses can be dangerous; and the pay is far too low for skilled weapons work, they say. - The New York Times
Through dissection, of course. "By late 1510 he was in Pavia, a university city south of Milan. ... Pavia is cold in winter, ideal for the preservation of human remains, and many of his anatomical sketches derive from work completed through the winter of 1510-1511." - The Observer (UK)
"When we think about the virtual plane of existence where the impossible is possible, it's likely that many of us are going to want to use that to enrich our connection to the stories and characters we love most." - MSN (Los Angeles Times)
The voluntary recognition of the union from the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures comes less than two months after employees organized. Now for a first contract - which took LA's Museum of Contemporary Art a mere two years. - Hyperallergic
Former leader Yo-Yo Ma "saw the classical footing he brought to Silkroad as 'a starting point,' and classical music itself as 'a form of literacy.' In Giddens, who studied opera at Oberlin Conservatory, he sees a similar capability: the ability to employ difference as a binding agent." - Washington Post
