The city was a beacon of artistic freedom. Then came October 7. Now, "a climate of fear and recrimination has put Berlin’s status as an international cultural capital in greater hazard than at any time since 1989." - The New York Times
The theatre company said, "We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment.” - BBC
Days before the actor’s body was found, Lawrence, Kansas, police said they had probable cause to arrest Brings Plenty “in response to allegations of domestic violence." - CNN (MSN)
“Living in a cell the size of a parking space without a television, tablet, phone, or air-conditioning and an only temperamental radio signal, a book is more than entertainment and much needed distraction. It is a rare moment when I’m not reminded where I am." - LitHub
Whether you love him, hate him, pay him or his music no mind, or pretend he doesn’t matter — you cannot escape Philip Glass. His impact on composers of succeeding generations, whether they accept him or oppose him, is indelible. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)
Figures from the political world getting involved in theatre makes a certain amount of sense, since producers and politicians both have to raise money from their social and professional circles. - The Stage
The result is a skyline that’s no longer just a backdrop or a distant view or a pleasantly hard-edged contrast with the soft green clouds of woodland. Instead, it’s a constant presence, looming inescapably over virtually every corner of the park. - New York Magazine
Bologna's Garisenda town is in trouble. After sensors attached to the monument, which leans at a 3.6 degree angle, picked up “anomalous movements” last year, alarmed experts issued what one called an “engineering code red.” - The New York Times
The new director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival has warned Scotland is at risk of losing arts events “every other week” without more public funding for culture and revealed that she would have had to scale back its programme. - The Scotsman
The Magic Kingdom expansion is one part of a $60 billion investment Disney has said it’s planning for its parks, cruises and experiences over the next decade. - CNN
The problem is that "fastest" could, in this context, mean four different things. Syllables per minute? Amount of information conveyed per minute? And so on. Quantitative linguist François Pellegrino tried to figure all this out in a study of 17 languages (which did not include Malayalam, the best candidate). - Atlas Obscura
Violins like Ayoung An’s, made in the tradition of Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri, require about two months of work and sell for about 16,000 to 17,000 euros, or $17,500 to $18,500. “I can make a violin in three weeks, but I don’t want to,” An said. “This object is very precious to the person purchasing it.” - The New...
The 947-year-old, 230-foot-long graphic-novel-in-embroidery depicting the Norman Conquest is actually missing one section; roughly eight to ten feet long, it is believed to depict the coronation of William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066. Who might have taken it and where might it be now? - Artnet
A comprehensive study spearheaded by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics provides evidence that people tend to show a predisposition towards rhythms formed by simple integer ratios regardless of cultural background. - PsyPost
