What You Want? A Surgeon Who Plays Video Games A doctor says that playing video games improves the accuracy and success of surgeons. "Surgeons who play video games three hours a week have 37 percent fewer errors and accomplish tasks 27 percent faster, he says, basing his observation on results of tests using the video game Super Monkey Ball." Wired 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 8:24 pm

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Visual Arts

Heritage Minister: Canadian Museums Need Help Canada's Heritiage Minister says Canadian museums are in need of major help. "Hundreds of buildings have not been renovated in 30 years. Their roofs are starting to leak and there are cracks in the foundations. Federal funding levels have been stalled since 1972. Ottawa offers about $200 million a year in direct funding for a handful of major sites in the capital region, compared to $9 million for 2,500 sites in the rest of the country." CNews 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 3:08 pm

Getty Land Sale Raises Questions "In 2002, the J. Paul Getty Trust sold Eli Broad a Brentwood property for $2 million. Two years earlier, an appraisal had said it was worth $2.7 million. Getty Chief Executive Barry Munitz, a close friend and professional associate of Broad, personally directed the early stages of the deal, Getty documents show. Experts say the deal raises legal and ethical questions." Los Angeles Times 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:48 pm

Barnes' Court Ordeal Affects School's Enrollment All the fuss about whether or not the Barnes Collection would be allowed to move to Philadelphia has affected the Barnes' school enrollment. If the number of applicants doesn't increase, three of the four new classes may have to be cancelled... Philadelphia Daily News 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:12 pm

Afghanistan's Greatest Treasure At Risk Again Afghanistan's greatest treasure - the Bactrian Gold -survived the Taliban and looting when the Taliban were deposed. Now "Afghan ministers, desperate to earn prestige and money for the country, want to send the collection abroad. Exhibiting it would be a coup for any museum, and a publicity triumph for a nation better known for narcotics and unrest. Major museums in America, France and Austria have asked to put the hoard on display. Officials in Afghanistan believe the money raised could pay for the restoration of Kabul's museum. But some experts believe that, with corruption and crime rampant in Afghanistan, it would be dangerous to move the treasure out of the vault." The Independent (UK) 12/20/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 11:27 pm

MoMA - Great Art In A Cold Box "The new Museum of Modern Art is a $425 million bore that will excite purists but put many others to sleep. Not because of the art, which looks even more spectacular now for having been in storage for four years, but because the galleries and public spaces are so cold and cavernous, as if put together from a collection of drive-in movie screens." Dallas Morning News 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 9:53 pm

The Barnes Decision - Do The Math. Does It Really Work? So the Barnes is moving to Philadelphia, where it's said opportunity awaits. But the plan is to replicate the Barnes' current galleries and limit visitors to 100 ata time. "If the replicated galleries are going to be the same size and if entrance is going to be restricted, as it is now, one wonders if the expected gain is great enough to be worth the effort. The foundation's Merion galleries are much too small for large crowds; the 100-visitor limit acknowledges that. So why replicate the problem as part of the solution?" Philadelphia Inquirer 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 9:48 pm

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Music

Connections - What New Music Needs To Live What does new music need to win the hearts of listeners? "Decades ago, composer Pierre Boulez predicted that audiences would subscribe to music-generating computers much the way they now do to their favorite orchestra. Guess why that hasn't happened: no warm bodies. Instead, I hear current composers translating the shape and timbre of electronic sound to, say, the live acoustic string quartet." Philadelphia Inquirer 12/19/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 5:31 pm

Shankar: Indian Classical Music In Peril Sitar master Ravi Shankar says he's concerned for the future of Indian classical music. India's musicians should not expect support from the government, he says, but corporate and indivisual support is essential. “After some great performers in the field of Indian classical music we have had promising talents, however, the programmes which new talents get to perform are not good.” Navhind Times 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:07 pm

At Chicago Lyric Opera - A Personality Clash Matthew Epstein's departure from his job as artistic director of Chicago Lyric Opera was a surprise. Does it signal a change of direction for the company? "Clashing personalities may be a factor in Epstein's departure. Artistic differences certainly play their part. Without a doubt, he could once again set himself up as a powerhouse consultant to opera companies and artists. We can hope that his longtime friends and new clients won't boycott Lyric out of some sense of personal loyalty. With or without Epstein, it remains one of the world's great opera houses. Whether it remains one of its most exciting only time will tell." Chicago Sun-Times 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 9:59 pm

Play, Don't Talk! Lawrence Johnson has a complaint against a growing practice at concerts he attends of concert organizers getting up and giving speeches. "This kind of superfluous chatter is, at a minimum, distracting and annoying, and frequently crosses the line to being crass and provincial." The Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 9:05 pm

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Arts Issues

Streetside Stores Rally To Compete Against E-Tailers The idea that people will buy all their music, movies and books online is just wrong. Look at how savvy bookstores, record stores and video rental companies are changing the customer experience. "It's the customer - that would be you - who designs the shopping experience now. The notion that all books and discs will soon be bought online, or that independent stores must be crushed between e-tailers and chains, ignores how inseparable 'shopping' is from 'lifestyle'." Denver Post 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 10:18 pm

Deep Freeze - UK Artists Betrayed Why were British artists so upset at the arts funding freeze announced last week? Because for the past few years, for the first time in a long time, arts funding had become significant. "Across the country, thousands of artists and thousands of projects have been properly funded for the first time in living memory. For the first time in our professional lives there has been money for experiment, money for growth, money for creative investment. A revolution occurred in Sheffield, where Michael Grandage turned the new money into world-class theatre. At Tate Modern and the National Theatre, visionary leadership has been rewarded with substantial investment and the results are palpable success. Give the RSC a couple of years and it will join them. There is no doubt that this investment was creating a cultural golden age in Britain." The Guardian (UK) 12/18/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 8:48 pm

Canadian Arts Minister Under Attack For Premature Funding Canada's heritage minister is under attack for announcing $191 million in next year's arts funding instead of waiting until the government's general budget is presented to parliament. "The minister said she had to take the step to ensure arts and culture projects wouldn't be interrupted next year." Edmonton Sun 12/17/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 12:54 pm

Comparing Arts Spending In The UK And US (It's Not Pretty) So the UK is holdings its arts budget steady for a couple of years. And the US is increasing its arts spending. Woo hoo US! Except when you see how far behind in spending on the arts the US, the situation is pretty bleak. "Divide by population, and it comes out that, in England, the government spends a little less than $16 for every man, woman and child on the arts. In the United States, per-capita federal spending on the arts works out to a measly 54 cents." St. Pail Pioneer-Press 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 8:48 am

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People

In Praise Of Renata Tebaldi "Cooler heads could fault her for what often seemed incomplete technique, some strident full-voiced top notes when the vocal line took her above high B-flat, and occasional lapses in pitch. But most opera buffs and critics found it impossible to have a cool head when listening to Renata Tebaldi." The New York Times 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:22 pm

Tim Page Remembers Renata Tebaldi "Tebaldi's voice -- impossibly smooth, florid and welling with poignancy -- touched people to their souls. In the late 1950s, there were more than 100 Renata Tebaldi Music Clubs throughout Europe and America, and she retained a following long after her best years were behind her." Washington Post 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:03 pm

Grimshaw: Taking On The Royal Academy One of England's premiere high-tech architects is taking on the task of turning around the decidely low-tech and troubled Royal Academy. "As far as running the RA is concerned, Nicholas Grimshaw plans to institute what he calls a six-monthly forensic audit to assure himself that an organisation which now has £23m turnover is on the right track. "My role is to encourage on all fronts, I am an optimistic person generally. All the so-called problems are perfectly handlable'." The Observer (UK) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 9:24 pm

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Theatre

The Superstar Kids Shows The hottest thing in London theatre? It's nothing in the West End. "In five revolutionary years showbusiness has faced the fact that many of its biggest commercial names are stars of children's TV shows." The new 'arena shows' for the pre-school generation are drawing thousands. "Such shows, based on Thomas the Tank Engine, The Tweenies, Bob the Builder and Andy Pandy, draw in thousands of families who would not normally consider themselves theatre-goers. More than one million parents and children have now paid up to £20 a head to see the shows. A new 'super-show' of the CBeebies hit, Balamory, is expected to be seen by more than 55,000." The Observer (UK) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 10:51 pm

Phantom - What Becomes A Hit (And Why?) Phantom of the Opera has played for what seems like forever. What's the attraction? "It's the same as any big hit. All you have to do is tell the audience something they want to hear. The enduring Broadway masterpieces affirm something that matters profoundly to the audience. Do you want to believe that everyone is entitled to their 15 minutes of fame? You'll love A Chorus Line. Is it important to feel confident that your culture will endure despite political upheaval? Fiddler On The Roof is just the show for you. So what does The Phantom Of The Opera tell us? It's such a big hit because it sends out two reassuring messages. No matter how inadequate you feel, it's possible that the person you've dreamed about can be yours, if just for a moment. And the second message?.." Toronto Star 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 10:36 pm

Getting Spacey At The Old Vic So how is Kevin Spacey's reign at London's Old Vic going? "Spacey, 45, is in need of a hit with the critics. His tenure got off to a wobbly start when a production he directed, Cloaca, by Dutch playwright Maria Goos, received a critical mauling, although advance ticket sales were impressive. Months earlier a major presentation in which Spacey announced his plans for the Old Vic, one of the nation's most historic theatres, was overshadowed by tabloid probing about a strange incident in a nearby park" where Spacey said he was mugged. The Observer (UK) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 8:35 pm

Where Are The Stars? Stars headlining Broadway productions sometimes don't make it to the performance. And the problem seems to be getting worse. "Anecdotal evidence does seem to suggest that regular absenteeism has become a more persistent, probably permanent feature of the Broadway landscape. And it may be a symptom - perhaps, too, a cause - of a much larger, more dispiriting phenomenon, the gradual extinction of the musical-theater star." The New York Times 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 1:48 pm

Tacoma Actors Guild Shuts Down Tacoma Actors Guild, that city's only professional theatre company, is shutting down. "The producing artistic director of eight years tendered his resignation at a board meeting Monday. The rest of the 24 full-time administrative and production staff members will be laid off indefinitely after this weekend. The theater owes between $300,000 and $350,000 to creditors, including at least $30,000 in rent payments to the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts for the use of Theatre on the Square. TAG has lost money in its last four seasons." Tacoma News Tribune 12/17/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 1:19 pm

Punishment By Funding (Or Lack Thereof) Is government funding for theatre being cut in the UK because of unflattering content? "The possibility has to be considered that the government has engaged in punishment funding in a different area: theatre. Consider one obvious difference between museums and theatres. Except for Hogarth exhibitions, the former rarely editorialise politically, while almost every major theatre has staged at least one play ridiculing the Blair administration over Iraq." The Guardian (UK 12/18/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 11:30 am

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Publishing

How's Your Christmas Lit Cred? Eew... ArtsJournal's editor scored only 9 of 15 in this year's Guardian books quiz... We're sure you can do better... The Guardian (UK) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 12:03 am

Merle Haggard For Poet Laureate Deciding on a new poet laureate for California is an exercise fraught with complications. "On one side are lawmakers and constituents who want to honor a local poet - a man who writes rhymes for greeting cards, say, or a woman with a couple of self-published volumes to her credit. On the other side are writers and other intellectuals, urging the governor to name a serious poet, someone whose work is critically acclaimed but whose name is not widely known among ordinary people." So who to picK/ Why not Merle Haggard... Sacramento Bee 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 10:18 am

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Media

Land Before Time - The Prequel Sequels have a bad rep in Hollywood, where they're often little more than cheap rip-offs of a hit franchise. And then there are prequels - sequels that purport to tell the story before the original movie. "I think Hollywood is always looking for a new device to avoid original thought, and for a long time that was the sequel. But then I think the sequel got kind of strip-mined and depleted, so now we're into the prequel. So it's just another way of avoiding ever thinking of anything new, which is the ultimate goal of the Hollywood hit machine."
CBC 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:53 pm

Hollywood's Blockbuster Year (But Smaller Audiences) Hollywood is making more money than ever, but fewer people are going to the movies. "With nearly two weeks to go before the end of 2004, domestic box-office receipts appeared likely to top last year's total of $9.27 billion, nearing $9.4 billion. But an increase can be attributed to a rise in ticket prices, up 3.85 percent to an average of $6.25, while attendance fell by 2.25 percent this year after dropping 3.8 percent in 2003." The New York Times 12/20/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 2:24 pm

Did BBC Cut Too Far? The BBC's new chairman made major cuts in the corporation, but did he go too far? "My fear is that the government will say, fine, we’re pleased to see you’re prepared to beat yourself so willingly, we’ll finish off the job. And if he has got it wrong, thousands of staff will have lost their jobs for nothing." The Scotsman 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 11:08 pm

Oscars Won't Revive Original Musical Category The board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has decided not to activate its dormant original musical category because only five films would have qualified for consideration. "Although academy rules state that the original musical category can be activated provided there are at least five movies eligible, the board chose not to go that route." Hartford Courant (LAT) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 11:04 pm

Religious Lobbyists Say American TV Is Anti-Religion The Parents Television Council (aka the FCC spammers) issues a new report saying (surprise, surprise) that American TV networks are anti-religious. "At a time when nervous media outlets are taking the national temperature and deciding a particular conservative strain of religion is in, there's the possibility the Parents Television Council study may be taken seriously. That would be an unthinking response." Denver Post 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 10:11 pm

Who Cares About Critics? Barry Koltnow doesn't have a high opinion of movie critics (he is one himself). And he wonders why people put so much stock in what they write. "Why do you believe anything a movie critic tells you? Just because they see movies all the time doesn't make them an expert on what you want to see." Orange County Register 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 8:22 pm

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Dance

How To Watch Merce Cunningham "It seems to me that watching Cunningham is like taking a nature walk. The shifting landscape you scan offers many beautiful (or fascinating or eerie) things, but in an entirely evenhanded way. It is your own wandering view, guided by your own temperament, that selects which of them to notice, which of them to enhance through deeper contemplation, which of them to elaborate with your personal fantasies. The choreographer has chosen to abstain from dictating in these matters. He is present in the scheme, absolutely, but mysterious and silent." Seeing Things (AJBlogs) 12/19/04
Posted: 12/20/2004 12:12 am

Is Denver Getting Its Own Joyce Theatre? Colorado Ballet is building a new home. But it's looking for much more than a place to stage what it already does. "The ballet plans to use this new theater for experimental, small-scale works that might be financially risky in larger, costlier venues. It hopes to expand its lineup from five productions in 2005-06 to as many seven in future seasons. At the same time, the ballet will make the facility available to other arts groups at minimal cost." Denver Post 12/19/04
Posted: 12/19/2004 1:05 pm

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