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This Conductor’s Group Gets Funding From A Russian State Bank, But Somehow It’s Still Welcome In Austria

It’s more than two years into Russia’s war with Ukraine, and Teodor Currentzis’ “continued presence is frustrating to many, raising uncomfortable questions about what is acceptable in service of music.” - The New York Times

What Design Is Right For A New Big-City Bridge?

This is a question Portland is asking as it prepares to scrap and remake the Burnside Bridge - "its most significant multi-modal downtown bridge in more than 65 years.” - Oregon ArtsWatch

Will Colleen Hoover’s Reign Over The Romance Lists Subside Now That Her Movie Is Out, And Not Great?

Well … no. “For all the tonal confusion of Hoover’s novels, readers continue to gravitate toward the repetitive writing and heavy emphasis on shocking twists.” - The Atlantic

Did Paris Benefit From The Olympics?

Well: "Already we know that the capital’s museums have seen massive attendance declines; now there is talk of a state fund for financial assistance to cultural institution.” - Slate

Broadway Plays Borrow Shine From Their Hollywood Stars

“Broadway, still adapting to sharply higher production costs and audiences that have not fully rebounded since the coronavirus pandemic, is betting big on star power, hoping that a helping of Hollywood glamour will hasten its rejuvenation.” - The New York Times

No Taylor Swift? No Problem

Swifties gather in Vienna streets to sing her hits together - and to find community, despite the security-driven cancellations. - NPR

When Your Novel Accidentally Meets The Zeitgeist

The author has been checking out Goodreads to “see how the average enthusiastic reader has been responding to this book. It is in equal parts some of the greatest validation I’ve ever received and the most terrifying cultural report I’ve ever read.” - The Guardian (UK)

Re-Creating The Music Of Medieval Europe With One Instrument

The EP-1320 comes “pre-loaded with a selection of playable musical instruments from the Middle Ages, from frame drums, battle toms, and coconut horse hooves to bagpipes, bowed harps, and, yes, hurdy-gurdies.” - Open Culture

The Weird, Long Tail Of Seinfeld Echoes Through New York Summers

“It’s like a ‘Seinfeld’ convention with a baseball game in the background,” says the man who organized Seinfeld Night for the first time, a decade ago. - The New York Times

The Cinema Posters That Tell Us Who We Were

Before streaming, but especially before the internet, posters drew us in, some with era-defining visuals. - The Guardian (UK)

What Happens When You Ditch Your Smartphone For What Might Be Called A Brick

“We may yearn for the freedom from all the extraneous stuff embedded in our smartphones — the distractions from the world around us — but liberty comes at the cost of becoming cut off from all the essentials, too.” - Washington Post

After Last Year’s Absolute Disaster, This Year’s Hugo Awards Came With A Full Transparency Report

The list of winners seems innocuous, but it comes with a link to a report that details everything possible, along with a link to the full statistics. Why? Last year’s edition was rife with censorship, and this year had its own ballot-stuffing issues. - Glasgow Worldcon

Ireland’s Black Gay Population Finds A Voice

Zainab Boldale is a journalist and TV presenter, who “has already hit several impressive career milestones in her 27 years, her first young adult novel will be published this month.” - Irish Times

The Cellist Of Auschwitz

She played in the orchestra, somehow survived, and later helped found the English Chamber Orchestra. And at nearly 100 years old, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch has forgotten nothing. - The New Yorker

The Emmys Finally Nominate The Right Writers

“The writers’ branch of the TV Academy isn’t the general public, and it’s reasonable to wish they’d be more discerning in their choices. This year, the comedy writers actually did just that.” - Vulture

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