Mind you, the source from which said wonk, at the Post‘s Wonkblog, got his data made no such claims about opera in general. But the wonk did. (Aren’t wonks supposed to know better than to make claims wildly beyond what the data supports? Isn’t that what makes them wonks?)
Pianist Demands Removal Of Review Under EU’s “Right To Be Forgotten” Ruling
“On Oct. 30, [Dejan Lazic] sent The Washington Post a request to remove a 2010 review by Post classical music critic Anne Midgette that – he claims – has marred the first page of his Google results for years. It’s the first request The Post has received under the E.U. ruling. It’s also a truly fascinating, troubling demonstration of how the ruling could work.”
“Noble Intentions”: Alex Ross Takes Down The Cello-Suites-Really-Composed-By-Mrs-Bach Theory
After looking at the arguments and evidence, Ross writes, “No one is well served by wild speculation that distorts the historical record – or, for that matter, ascribes a piece of music to a woman on the grounds that it lacks maturity.”
Oldest Shiite Shrine In Iraq Blown Up By ISIS
Built in 1085, the distinctive domed mausoleum of Imam al-Daur was destroyed on October 23. According to the extremist ideology of ISIS and similar groups, veneration of any shrine is a form of idolatry.
Gruesome Murders Of Furniture On The Streets Of Paris
“In a Cronenbergian melding of inanimate matter and grisly viscera, chairs, mattresses, and even a toilet have appeared on the city’s sidewalks bearing heinous wounds and oozing crimson fluid into the gutters.”
French Town Bans Clowns Following National Wave Of Clown Attacks
The mayor of Vendargues, near Montpellier, announced a one-month absolute ban on clown and clown costumes following a series of incidents elsewhere in the country in which people in clown costumes beat up passersby with fists or weapons – and anti-clown vigilante groups began forming.
The Poet And Critic Who Never Retired, Just Wrote On, Facing Death
Clive James “knows what is coming, and he still seems in a hurry to write a little more, burnish a little more and hope to be remembered.”
The Gaping Maw Of TV Audiences (And The Problems That Causes)
“Feeding that curiosity can be good for business. Extreme stunts command a huge live viewership and social media attention, leading advertisers to pay a premium to reach captive audiences.”
Ian Fraser, Composer And Longtime Julie Andrews Collaborator, Dead At 81
“Fraser was the arranger and conductor on numerous television shows during the golden age of musical specials in the 1960s and ’70s, winning the first of his 11 Emmys for the 1976 ‘America Salutes Richard Rodgers’ show that aired on CBS.”
Why Is Facebook Turning To ‘The Dark Web’ For Privacy?
“Since Facebook uses SSL encryption, no surveillance system watching either Facebook’s connection or the user’s local traffic should be able to match up a user’s identity with their Facebook activity.”
David Armstrong, A Photographer Of Intimacy, Dies At 60
“Openly gay long before legal protections regarding sexual orientation were enacted in most states, Mr. Armstrong was best known for unabashed black-and-white close-ups of beautiful young men, many of whom were his lovers or objects of his desire.”
What Exactly Was The CBC’s Process Of Deciding To Fire Jian Ghomeshi?
“When he arrived at the Sunday meeting, his dismissal was not yet a foregone conclusion, one source confirmed. Had he expressed remorse, or offered to seek treatment, the CBC would have had to consider its next steps carefully. Yet Mr. Ghomeshi remained unrepentant. He was let go, and the CBC’s board of directors was told of his departure.”
Sherman Alexie, Movie Script Doctor (Wait, Really?)
“In Hollywood, they brought me in for funny—making scenes funnier and making people more likable. It’s funny they would hire an Indian to make white people more likable!”
Why Do We Fear Sharks And Ebola More Than Cars And The Flu?
“Parks, for example, get more dangerous when people avoid them out of fear, because their emptiness encourages criminals to move in. In the case of Ebola, a travel ban or quarantine law would only hurt volunteer efforts in West Africa.”
10 Artists Of Dada You Really Should Know
“The youngest of the Duchamp siblings, Suzanne Duchamp lived in the famed Montparnasse Quarter of Paris so brother Marcel could help her establish her career (they were perhaps the closest of all the siblings).”
The Rugby Guys Who Do The Best Dancing Before Games
“As in most dance forms, there’s plenty of tradition and obscure lore surrounding the haka, which goes for approximately one minute just before the start of a rugby match.”
Film’s Great Year, Crammed Into Two Months, Begins Now
“So many titles of preordained or hoped-for prestige compete for your time and attention in the same, few short weeks.”
How Ballet Changed Through The 20th Century – In Photos
“From Vaslav Nijinsky to Benjamin Millepied, Anna Pavlov to Sylvie Guillem, the collection of vintage portraits gives a mostly black-and-white glimpse into over a century’s worth of ballet greats.”
Smithsonian Picks An Interim Leader
“The Smithsonian Institution has appointed Albert G. Horvath, its current senior finance official, as its acting leader for the first half of next year, until the incoming secretary, David J. Skorton, can take up his position in July.”
A New Golden Age Of Storytelling
“This is the opportunity we all have in front of us: to redefine storytelling for an always-on world. It is a new Golden Age with an ever-changing set of disruptive technologies that offer creative talent the opportunity to try new things and figure out what works.”