“An internationally renowned harpsichord manufacturer who filed a lawsuit against an amateur orchestra in Japan demanding compensation for breaking a harpsichord he made was awarded 4.4 million yen in compensation in a ruling at the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday.”
Author: sbergman
Princeton Gives In On Donor Intent Battle
“Princeton University has agreed to pay $90 million to the heirs of a large benefactor, ending a historic six-year battle over donor intent that mesmerized the philanthropic community and influenced the way it does business… Experts in charitable giving yesterday viewed the settlement as a victory for the heirs of the late Charles and Marie Robertson of the A&P supermarket fortune.”
What Rhymes With Blagojevich?
The stunning arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges has sent Chicago’s Second City theatre troupe scrambling for new material. “Blagojevich has now given Second City a much more personal darker side on which to build its themes. And comedy thrives on personality.” But for a company that thrives on topical humor, there just hasn’t been much lead time to develop the Blagojevich storyline…
Getting Inside Frida’s Head
A new biography of the artist Frida Kahlo “carries with it a compelling gift: Shortly before her death, the artist consented to psychological testing,” and the results “provided a lengthier history than she had ever provided to anyone, about paintings that were lost, destroyed or paintings we know about but with specific information about dates, interpretations and so forth.”
Did Mamet Abandon His Own Play?
“Critics didn’t have much use for the re vival of David Mamet’s “American Buffalo,” which closed Nov. 23 after just a week of performances. But they weren’t alone in their indiffer ence. To hear backstage sources tell it, Mamet himself could barely be bothered with the play, which is generally considered one of his best. He never attended a rehearsal, didn’t see a performance and refused to do any press for it.”
Stratford Adds A NY Emissary
“The Stratford Shakespeare Festival is appointing Elizabeth Bradley as its senior artistic associate.” The position is unpaid, and Bradley will essentially serve as Stratford’s ambassador to New York. Her aim is to “assist the festival in establishing relationships that will enable it to export productions, provide details of opportunities for collaborations and suggest new markets of interest.”
Toronto Film Production Site To Get A Boost
“Filmport, Toronto’s giant but underused film stage, is about to get a new partner – the big British film company Pinewood Studios… If Pinewood does proceed with a partnership in Filmport and brings production business to Toronto, it would be good news for an industry that has been hit hard in recent years.”
Critics’ Choice Nominations Released
“Milk and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button dominated the nominations Tuesday for the Broadcast Film Critics Assn.’s 14th annual Critics’ Choice Awards, receiving eight nods each.”
Selling High-End Theatre In The Midst Of Malaise
“Although Broadway, like pretty much every other industry, is taking its lumps this season, some theater veterans are hoping that as portfolios go down, the appetite for entertainment will go up… Across Broadway, musicals and plays are trying to focus their marketing budgets more effectively.”
LA Film Critics Tap Pixar Hit As Best Film Of ’08
“Wall-E has been named best film of the year by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association as Hollywood gears up for Thursday’s Golden Globe nominations. The Pixar film was chosen ahead of The Dark Knight by the body, which gave its best actor prize to Sean Penn for Milk.”