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Reconsidering Mary Poppins: Why The British Film Rating Board Keeps Reclassifying Old Movies

A distributor is legally required to ask for a new rating when it rereleases a movie that was classified before the introduction of the modern ratings in 1982. The B.B.F.C. said that about half of the theatrical releases it rerated in the past two years were mandatory submissions. - The New York Times

Professor Argues AI LLMs Refute Some Fundamental Ideas Of Linguistics

He argues that LLMs demonstrate a wide range of powerful language abilities and disprove foundational assumptions underpinning Noam Chomsky’s theories and, as a consequence, negate parts of modern Linguistics. - Slator

The Prolific, Proud, Perverse Prince Of Latin American Literature

At 75, César Aira has written more than 100 books, has been translated into 37 languages, and has lately been tipped for a Nobel Prize. He accepts no money for his books within Argentina, won't talk to local media, and rarely leaves his Buenos Aires neighborhood, let alone the country. - The Guardian

Some Museums In L.A. Are Trying An Experiment: Cutting Back On The Air Conditioning

"Museums have historically maintained strict, narrow ranges of temperatures and relative humidity since the British Museum created the standards around 100 years ago. New research and international art conservation guidelines suggest that a wider range of climate controls can be safe for artwork (while cutting) energy use." - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

Should UK Museums Start Charging Admission?

For all kinds of reasons and on all kinds of levels, charging entrance would create a more equal culture and a more equal society. - The Art Newspaper

She’s Been Lighting Contemporary Dance In Downtown Manhattan For 46 Years

Carol Mullins, now 85, has been designing and operating the lighting for Danspace Project since 1978. "When people ask her why she has stayed there so long, she replies that she’s still learning, 'and there’s a new set of problems every couple weeks.'" - The New York Times

The Virtues Of Performing All Of Something

A composer cycle is no mean feat – for both musicians and audiences. But there is something remarkable about hearing works from the same series performed by the same musicians, which is why composer cycles regularly appear in concert and recording programmes. - Classical Music UK

A New Beckett Festival Is Coming To Liverpool

Co-curated by actor Adrian Dunbar, Beckett: Unbound 2024 is "a multiarts festival that juxtaposes familiar pieces by the Dublin-born author with new responses to his work. After Liverpool, the productions will transfer to Paris." - The Guardian

A Tale Of Two Orchestra Initiatives

Philly’s program is swimming, while Pittsburgh’s, after making initial waves, is treading water. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Why The American Youth Symphony Orchestra Collapsed So Suddenly

"This is a cautionary tale of performing-arts nonprofits, of board burnout, of soaring costs in a post-COVID world, of the precarious state of philanthropy. The primary cause of death was that people — donors, audiences, players and board members — appeared to have taken for granted an institution they loved." - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

From The American Youth Symphony’s Ashes, A New Orchestra Quickly Arose

"Conductor Anthony Parnther and the Musicians at Play Foundation speedily formed a new training orchestra, Civic Orchestra of Los Angeles, and scheduled an inaugural concert for April 28, on the same weekend that AYS was supposed to play the final concert of its season." - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

U.S. House Committee Begins Hearings To Investigate NPR For Alleged Bias

"NPR CEO Katherine Maher was a no-show today (at the hearing) but she will 'testify on a date in the near future that works for the Committee and Maher.' … House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), unleashed an array of criticisms in her opening remarks." - Inside Radio

UCal Davis Gets $20 Million Gift To Beef Up Arts Programs

"San Francisco philanthropist Maria Manetti Shrem has promised UC Davis the largest gift ever to arts at the school — $20 million to create the multifaceted 'Maria Manetti Shrem Arts Renaissance' program at the College of Letters and Science." - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

Washington National Opera Offers A New Ending For Puccini’s “Turandot”

Puccini died before composing the final scene, and many find the standard ending by Franco Alfano unsatisfying. This alternative by composer Christopher Tin and librettist Susan Soon He Stanton has a better reason for Princess Turandot executing her suitors than the centuries-old rape and murder of an ancestor. - AP

AI Helps Identify Forgeries Of Monet, Renoir On eBay

"Dr. Carina Popovici, a specialist in authenticating artwork, said she applied cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to pictures advertised on the online platform and was shocked to discover that many had a 'high probability' of being 'not authentic'." One fake Monet was being offered for $599,000. - The Guardian

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