“The company’s recent successes include two Grammy nominations; press attention for the hiring of music director James Gaffigan; announcements of bold new works; and critical acclaim by critics, audiences, and the music ‘industry.’” Asked what her “secret sauce” is, Khori Dastoor replied, “There is no such thing.” - San Francisco Classical Voice
“Even in a case where a star comes on first, … the casting director has to build an entire world around them — not just actors who fit each individual part but combine to form a harmonious vision, one that can be disrupted by a single off-key line.” - Slate (MSN)
After all, large numbers of creatives have been fleeing the city, driven away mostly by the high cost of apartments. But would such a preference be fair to other struggling New Yorkers? - Gothamist
“CounterPulse … is in crisis caused by financial strain, leadership collapse and a bitter labor conflict. With just one show on its calendar for all of 2026 and no one at the helm, its predicament raises questions about sustainability, power and labor in small arts organizations.” - San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)
“(State agency) Empire State Development … currently isn’t accepting applications for the New York City Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit. … The proposed state budget announced today ‘increases the aggregate amount available under the program by $150 million for productions with initial performances on or after December 1, 2025.’” - Broadway Journal
“The first Cliburn International Competition for Conductors will take place in 2028 in Houston. … The competition will be hosted in partnership with the Houston Symphony and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.” Marin Alsop will chair the jury. - KERA (Dallas)
“The Bethlehem-based organization, which includes PBS39, WLVR radio and the Lehigh Valley News website, will lose about half of its workforce, which had stood at 41. It also cut back on some PBS programming ‘to align expenses with sustainable funding.’” - The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) (MSN)
Seth Orza, when he was a principal with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, developed plantar fasciitis and couldn’t find a shoe that would give his feet enough support and shock absorption to keep the pain at bay. So he designed one, using features copied from running sneakers. - The New York Times
What would happen to the murals is an open question, as removing them may prove difficult. Advocates for the building fear that without protections put in place ahead of a sale, the buyer would have no incentive to maintain the historical features inside. - Washington Post
He was once the most famous Black American in the world, and one of the most accomplished: college football and NFL star, a degree from Columbia Law School, a major career as a classical concert singer and film and stage actor. Then Jackie Robinson, the pioneering baseball player, testified against him. - The Guardian
In execution, this theory works very simply: Don’t change the music; change the way you deliver it. Do the opposite of what institutions are doing when they offer radically shortened operas or watered-down symphonies. - The New York Times
Americans argue about the Smithsonian far more than we would if only its possessions mattered. When our museums of record tell us a story, that story matters enormously. - The Atlantic
For more than a century, scientific journals have been the pipes through which knowledge of the natural world flows into our culture. Now they’re being clogged with AI slop. - The Atlantic
For just over five weeks, from February 7 to March 14, visitors will be allowed to climb the towering 20-foot scaffold inside the Sforza Castle’s Sala delle Asse to view conservators at work on a vast, unfinished wall and ceiling painting by Leonardo hidden for centuries. - Artnet
The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in Napa has listed its 217-acre estate for $10.9 million, less than a year after announcing a plan to boost revenue through event rentals. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
