“The Italian, US-based collector Carlo Bilotti is in discussions with Rome City Council to convert a former chapel in the north of the city into a centre for contemporary art which will display works by Damien Hirst and other artists from his collection… Mr Bilotti says he aims to create a ‘modern meditative environment’ in the chapel which will be modelled on the Rothko chapel in Houston, Texas.”
Tag: 01.27.05
Benedetti Sticking To What She Knows
Nicola Benedetti is officially the new It Girl of the moment in the classical music world, and her name has spread so quickly that she still seems a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. But unlike several other recent teenage flavors of the month, the 17-year-old Scottish violinist has no plans to parlay her newfound celebrity into quick and easy cash by entering the much-reviled borderworld known as “crossover.”
SLSO Cancels More Auditions, But Will It Matter In The End?
The St. Louis Symphony has canceled another round of auditions – for principal and associate principal cello – as the ensemble’s nearly month-old work stoppage drags on. “Throughout the past several weeks, the SLSO musicians have claimed that in order to attract the best of the best world class talent they need to keep pace with what their peer orchestras pay. The SLSO management claims this isn’t the case and the organization will be able to attract the same level of musicians they always have, even with a lower pay scale. The… cello audition cancellations may be the first real test of that philosophy.”
The Management Carousel Spins In St. Louis
“The St. Louis Symphony has named Jeremy Geffen, artistic administrator of the New York Philharmonic since 2000, as its own vice president for artistic administration… Geffen replaces Kathleen van Bergen, who succeeded Simon Woods in a similar position at the Philadelphia Orchestra last fall, after Woods was named president of the New Jersey Symphony.”
Seattle’s 911 Hits The Skids
Another Seattle arts group is facing a crisis. 911 Media Center has laid off three of its five staff, and is cutting back after a costly move and a downturn in fundrasing. “The immediate problem is money, but the real problem is a crisis the organization survived two years ago, when a four-person board out of touch with the membership fired a popular and effective director and triggered a membership revolt.”
Philadelphia Added To King Tut Tour
Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute has been chosen as the fourth and final stop of the blockbuster King Tut show touring America starting this summer in Los Angeles. “A consortium of three companies – National Geographic; AEG Live Exhibitions of Los Angeles; and Arts & Entertainment International of Aurora, Ohio – is organizing and touring the show for the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. The Egyptian government hopes to raise at least $10 million from each venue to pay for restoration of ancient monuments and to build a new museum in Cairo.”
iPod-As-New-DJ Jukebox
At bars and dance clubs, customers are bringing in their iPods, plugging in to the clubs’ sound systems and playing to the crowd. In one club, “on a typical night, about 10 people bring their iPods loaded with a special playlist for the occasion. They sign up, wait for their turn and then plug into the Tonic Room’s sound system. They have 15 minutes to wow other customers or simply soothe their own souls.”
The People’s Choice Awards Of Books?
A new philanthropy called the Quills Literacy Foundation has announced the formation of the Quill Awards, a slate of 19 annual book awards, most of which will be voted on by the general public.
Life With Out Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills’ retirement as chairman of the Metropolitan Opera ends the career of an amazing cultural force in New York. First as a singer, then as an arts administrator and fund-raiser, she had a huge impact on the city’s cultural life. “There are plenty who are going to follow me. My time was always going to be limited, and so were my interests.”
Theatre Chain Slashes Movie Ticket Prices
Movie ticket sales have been down in the Canadian province of Ontario. So Famous Players, the largest movie chain, is lopping off $4 from the cost of tickets. “Starting tomorrow, cinephiles will shell out $9.95, rather than the usual $13.95 for general admission, as part of a marketing ploy to lure warm bodies out of their homes and into the stadium-style seats.”