"For three months after the end of the war, Mr. Barancik, then a 21-year-old private first class, assisted in the operations of a unit known as the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section … whose mission to safeguard the artistic patrimony of Europe amid the destruction and plunder." - MSN (The Washington Post)
"Recognizable by her shaved head and elfin features, O'Connor began her career singing on the streets of Dublin and soon rose to international fame … but was known as much for her private struggles and provocative actions as for her fierce and expressive music." - AP
“I have never seen the piece in person but judging from the photograph it would appear to be a copy after Raphael. True connoisseurship relates to the expert judgment of the trained eye and is so much more than mechanically matching brushstrokes and images.” - The Art Newspaper
"He was not seeking to escape to a purely spiritual realm. He was not seeking religion. What he sought was peace of mind. The Gita seemed to provide precisely the right philosophy for an intellectual keenly attuned to the affairs of men and the pleasures of the senses." - BBC
Dámaso Rodríguez was artistic director at Portland’s Artists Repertory Theatre for nine years before stepping down in 2021. He co-founded Los Angeles troupe Furious Theatre in 2002 and worked as associate artistic director at Pasadena Playhouse, where Furious Theatre had a longtime residency. - Seattle Times
"Dance artists are increasingly inspired by the generative potential of AI, whether as a choreographic tool, a topic to probe onstage, or an entryway into the broader intersection of dance and technology. And it isn't just dance artists who are using AI in their practice." - Dance Magazine
He won the prestigious Leonard Bernstein Award in 2016, has recorded several acclaimed albums (including his 2013 debut Reveries and a 2019 performance of Mozart’s horn concertos with the Camerata Salzburg); and had a two-year residency with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. - The Guardian
"Kevin Spacey was acquitted of sexual assault on Wednesday after the Oscar winner’s star turn as a witness in his own defense spared him a possible prison term and gave him a shot at a career comeback." The verdict arrived on his 64th birthday. - AP
Hundreds of thousands of jobs are on the line. Yet company leaders and studio chiefs told Bloomberg News that the changes, while inevitable and painful, can empower smaller studios, boost creativity and ultimately benefit gamers around the world. - Bloomberg
A reporter talks to an independent theatre company director, a standup comedian, and an acting duo; they're spending between £7,746 (the solo comic) and £22,000. They won't earn it back, but says one, "We should end up with tour dates for 2024. That’s why you go. It's an investment." - The Guardian
"The Bayreuth Festival intends to present Rienzi in 2026 for its 150th anniversary, going outside the canon of Richard Wagner's final 10 operas for the first time. Wagner's family still runs the festival in Germany, and until now has limited it to only what are considered his mature works." - AP
"The digital media company Vice filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, and new documents disclosed in the proceedings offer a rare glimpse into the financial maneuvering that led the privately held company to insolvency." - Adweek
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA, and yes, he called himself "the biggest nerd in Congress") says that the caucus has attracted 20 House members, from both parties, with an interest in movies, TV and gaming — and the issues affecting those fields. - The Hollywood Reporter
"The 'Act to Modernize Funding For Community Media Programming' proposes a 5% fee on digital streaming providers, based on a company's gross annual revenue in the state. A portion of the fee would be distributed to municipalities to support their community media centers — colloquially known as public access television." - Nieman Lab
