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
Erica Muhl, who became the school's leader two years ago, went on leave abruptly last month and put her house on the market; this week, the board announced that she won't be back. Students and faculty, who say they rarely saw her on campus, want answers. - MSN (The Boston Globe)
"(The order prohibits) performing or showcasing Russian-language art and culture — such as books, music, plays and concerts — (as well as) cultural and educational programs. The restriction not only applies to works by Russian authors and creators, but to all cultural products publicly presented in or translated into Russian." - Deutsche Welle
Apart from being the latest works by beloved writer-directors, there is one quality that Barbie and Oppenheimer share, which is that they’re both movies of ideas: not just full of them, but about them. - Slate
It’s far from clear we’re getting anything from Duolingo’s purported speed. I’m not even sure it’s fun anymore. And there are quicker ways to not learn a language. - Slate
The fight against the urge to let hatred win can be seen playing out on the front lines—but also in homes, in institutions, and in art. Ukrainians at home and abroad are embracing their language, literature, and heroic figures. - The Walrus
To be able to make creativity and invention sound “natural,” one needs an avid, almost greedy urge to absorb anything—and everything—that is out there. - The Nation
The first thing you notice when you switch on Russian TV is its totemic fascination with the swastika, which regularly appears on one of my screens. Sometimes it is taken from footage of the Nazi era, sometimes from purported videos of the Ukrainian far right. - The Atlantic
