“The performing-arts center planned for the World Trade Center complex is shifting shape yet again, as its leaders work to deliver a slimmed-down project that can be built for roughly half the cost.”
Of Course You Can Ban Cellphones In The Theatre. But That’s Kinda Stupid (With All Due Respect)
“The bad news for theatre is that we live in a world full of hand-held technology, where word travels fast. And if the word travelling about our industry is that we bully newcomers who don’t know any better, those newcomers have more than enough alternative forms of entertainment to choose from.”
Where Does All Our Time Go? This Lab Knows
The holdings of the Centre for Time Use Research at the University of Oxford “have been gathered from nearly 30 countries, span more than 50 years and cover some 850,000 person-days in total. They offer the most detailed portrait ever created of when people work, sleep, play and socialize – and of how those patterns have changed over time.”
Parents, This Is Why Not To Push Your Kids To Become Child Prodigy Musicians
“‘For every ten students, one will attempt suicide, one will become mentally ill, two will become alcoholics, two will slam doors and jettison the violin out the window, three will work as violinists, and perhaps one will become a soloist.’ For aspiring violinists and their parents – including Wagner herself – those are not good chances. Why would anyone choose that kind of life?”
Are L.A.’s Small Theatres So Different From Those In The Other Big Theatre Towns?
“Comparing budgets and expenses for theatres of a similar size (99 seats or less) in the nation’s major theatre cities reveals some interesting similarities and differences. While theatre of all sizes exists all over the country, and certainly small theatres and theatre companies power the artistic life of cities of all sizes, the troika of New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have the greatest concentrations of what is called by some ‘indie’ theatre.”
The Louisville Orchestra Looks Like It’s Recovering, And On The Rise
“Optimism colors most discussions regarding the orchestra these days, and its primary source is the now 28-year-old Mr. Abrams, a native of Oakland, Calif., and a protégé of Michael Tilson Thomas, the San Francisco Symphony’s longtime music director. In addition to his talents as a conductor, Mr. Abrams is also an accomplished clarinetist and pianist.”
Yes, ‘Back To The Future’ Villain Biff *Was* Based On Donald Trump
Screenwriter: “‘We thought about it when we made the movie! Are you kidding?’ he says. ‘You watch Part II again and there’s a scene where Marty confronts Biff in his office and there’s a huge portrait of Biff on the wall behind Biff, and there’s one moment where Biff kind of stands up and he takes exactly the same pose as the portrait? Yeah.'”
Britain’s Oldest Science Institution Has To Sell Parts Of Collection To Save Itself
“Ninety works spanning three centuries of scientific inquiry are to go under the hammer at Christie’s in December, in an attempt to plug a £2m hole in the finances of the UK’s most venerable science charity, the Royal Institution. The groundbreaking works in the history of medicine, science and the natural world include first editions from scientific luminaries such as Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Leonhard Euler, Johannes Kepler and Alexander von Humboldt.”
Flood Of Antiquities Returned To India As Investigation Into Dealer Continues
“What began as a trickle has now become a flood as more institutions around the world return works of art that were bought from Manhattan antiquities dealer Subhash Kapoor, who ran the now defunct gallery Art of the Past for over three decades. Kapoor is awaiting trial in India on charges of smuggling looted artefacts worth more than $100m.”
Why Are Music Scholars Ignoring The Growing Evidence For Musical Universals?
Ted Gioia: “The evidence that different cultures share fundamental approaches to music-making is mounting, yet the scholars who specialize in world music prefer to pretend it doesn’t exist. What’s going on?”
Film Directors Aren’t So Different From Scientists
“In his latest film, director Michael Almereyda draws comparisons between Stanley Milgram and cinematic auteurs. There’s some research to back this analogy.”
Disney To Launch Subscription Streaming In Great Britain
“The service, DisneyLife, will make available a wide range of titles, including the complete Pixar catalog, which includes the Toy Story franchise, and classics such as Snow White, Lady and the Tramp and The Jungle Book … DisneyLife will cost £9.99 ($15.43) a month.”
Susan Cheever Talks About (Writing About) Family Secrets
“At our house, even as an adult, I was always daddy’s little girl—his reading and conversation partner. But in other ways, I think I fell short of his fantasy. I think he had hoped my sexuality as a woman would be crisp and refined, but I wasn’t the delicate girl under the big hat. I ate butter with a fork.”
Can Actors Who Have Hit It Big Save The UK’s Regional Theatres?
“The documentaries are intended to showcase the challenges facing regional theatres, from cuts to their funding to the demise of repertory theatre, which used to give working class actors greater access and a training ground before they entered the London stage.”
Would ‘New Theatre-Goer’ Orientations Help Cut Down On Distracting Audience Behavior?
“Imagine a world where, instead of robotic voiceovers, the cast of every show performed a customized “turn off your phones and open your candy” announcement; an orientation into the world of the theatre, as well as the world of the play, clarifying the rules and expectations in a funny and personal way geared to that night’s show.”
The British Library Buys Gilbert And Sullivan Archive
“The collection includes prompt scripts, musical scores, photographs, costume designs, pay lists, reel to reel recordings, a set of clothes-peg dolls dressed as characters from HMS Pinafore and some devastatingly frank comments on auditions.”
James Turrell Responds To Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ Video
Yes, the instantly super hot and addictive video *looks* like it was shot inside a Turrell light artwork, but the artist says otherwise.
Spotify In Another Dispute Over Royalty Payments
“‘We used their data and it did not match up,’ Tony Brummel, Victory’s founder, said in an interview. ‘It was 30 percent off, meaning we were 30 percent underpaid.'”
UK’s Grange Park Opera Evicted From Grange Park, Which Will Start Its Own Opera Company
“Grange Park Opera, based at the Grange, Hampshire, is to leave its home of 18 years after one final season next summer, after a long-running dispute encompassing one of Britain’s best-known banking dynasties, a new demand for rent, and [television presenter] Bamber Gascoigne’s stately home.”
The Postmodernist Apartment In The Brooklyn Museum’s Storage Vault
“A completely intact apartment by American Postmodern architect Michael Graves has been in storage at the Brooklyn Museum since it was acquired in 1986. Similar to other Postmodern designs by Graves, the apartment features ornamental design, an eclectic blend of classical references and muted color palettes.”
Misty Copeland To Produce Primetime Dance Drama For Fox TV
“The untitled project, which has been set up at Fox through 20th Century Fox TV, follows a young, hip and diverse group of aspiring dancers as they fiercely compete for places in a top ballet company.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 10.21.15
How they made their money
And now my final post about changing the conservatory curriculum. In the post I did last, I talked about music history, or rather classical music history. And how … even when we teach classical history we leave a lot out. Namely, the real stuff of music in the past. How it lived, how it functioned, how listened, how they listened. And – very important – how musicians, including the great composers, made their living. … read more
AJBlog: Sandow Published 2015-10-21
The Immorality of a Broken Business Model
I no longer eat beef. It was a decision inspired by listening to Meat Week on NPR’s Morning Edition in the summer of 2012. … So what does this have to do with growing audiences for arts & culture? … read more
AJBlog: Audience Wanted Published 2015-10-21
I.D.
Art serves many purposes. I want to write about two today: life-enhancement and identity. I’m not going to define life-enhancement. We all have an idea of what that can mean, for ourselves and for others … read more
AJBlog: Infinite Curves Published 2015-10-21
70 Years of History Brought to Life
José Limón was choreographing right up to the end of his life. His last dances, Orfeo and Carlota, premiered in 1972, the year of his death at 64. … read more
AJBlog: Dancebeat Published 2015-10-21
Why is it important to have a career plan?
Our paradigms dramatically affect our judgment and our decision making by influencing our perceptions. Paradigms are sets of rules and regulations that do two things: 1.) They establish boundaries 2.) They provide rules for success … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2015-10-21
Clarity & Observation
Developing a career plan was natural for me, as I was fortunate to discover what I wanted to do at a very early age. Initially, I figured out the general steps … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2015-10-21
Picture this:
You’re interviewing for your dream job at a great company and you know you’d be perfect. You’ve practiced in the mirror, are wearing your lucky blazer, you have your nerves under control and … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2015-10-21
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Yikes: Yahoo Lost 42 Million Dollars On Original TV Content
“The intent of the company’s foray into the original-content space in the first place was to compete with other streamers, such as Netflix. But now: ‘As we move into 2016, we will work to narrow our strategy, focusing on fewer products.'”
The Soprano Who Has Sung In Elvish And Wants To Give Voice To Armenia
“‘I don’t consider myself political, but I am an artistic activist,’ said the soprano, whose grandparents survived the 1915 genocide. ‘I grew up hearing their stories. To this day, I feel their pain, because their pain wasn’t resolved.'”
Christo’s New Art Project Lets People Walk On Water
“‘The Floating Piers,’ his first fantastical outdoor installation since ‘The Gates’ and the first project conceived since Jeanne-Claude’s death, consumes his every waking hour.”