A storm of criticism has enveloped the new film, Million Dollar Baby, with right-wing commentators and disabled activists calling for critics to reveal (and condemn) the movie’s controversial surprise plot twist. But Roger Ebert says that such demands miss the point of both the film and a critic’s role in the cultural sphere: “Most movies have no issues and inspire no thought. A movie like this forces you to think about its issues. If you leave it and discuss what Maggie should have done, what you would do, and what you would wish for your loved ones, then the movie has served a purpose, whether you agree with it or not. A movie is not good or bad because of its content, but because of how it handles its content.”
Tag: 01.29.05
Boston Ballet Cuts Salaries
“After a disappointing holiday Nutcracker run, Boston Ballet has cut the salaries of virtually all its employees, with some workers taking short, unpaid leaves. The move is part of an expense-cutting plan meant to keep Boston Ballet on track for a balanced annual budget.” The company’s holiday struggles were due in large part to increased competition from the big-budget Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which forced Boston Ballet to move its Nutcracker to a much smaller theater. The company is assuring its employees that no one will be laid off.
Litton: Bad Press Drove Me Out of Texas
For the last several years, conductor Andrew Litton has been under heavy fire from critics, especially those in Texas, where Litton has led the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for more than a decade. His detractors claim that his interpretations are sometimes shallow and heavy-handed, and suggest that he lacks the technical skills necessary to draw the best from the DSO’s musicians. Like most conductors, Litton claims not to pay close attention to reviews, but he does acknowledge that the constant barrage of criticism from the press played a role in his decision to step down from the Dallas podium in 2006.
Philly To Sign With Finnish Label
The Philadelphia Orchestra is in talks with the small Finnish record label Ondine to distribute a series of CDs which would be produced live by the orchestra and distributed internationally by the label. Philadelphia has been without a recording deal since 1996, when it was dropped by EMI, although the orchestra has released a few albums on its own in recent years. The recent labor agreement between the orchestra and its musicians reportedly allows for lower pay rates for recording than those imposed on orchestras nationwide by the musicians’ union, a change which paved the way for the new deal with Ondine.
Damn The Applause, Full Speed Ahead!
It’s not unusual for audiences at orchestral concerts to accidentally disrupt the performance with a burst of applause, thinking that a piece has ended before it actually has. But last week, outgoing Detroit Symphony music director Neeme Jarvi created his own disruption, to the astonishment of many in attendance. Following the breathless conclusion of Carl Nielson’s powerful Fifth Symphony, “with his back still to the house, [Jarvi] raised his baton once more, called over his shoulder ‘Encore!’ and proceeded straight into a rather banal waltz by Shostakovich… Jarvi loves to do encores. But this was nuts.” The incident left Lawrence Johnson wondering if Jarvi’s fragile health has begun to affect his judgment.
Art & Terror
“An exhibition inspired by the radical leftist Red Army Faction, loathed by many for its violent attacks in the 1970’s and 80’s yet lionized by some, opens Saturday amid angry debate over the romanticization of terrorism. Critics accuse the organizers of glorifying the guerrilla group’s campaign of bomb attacks, kidnappings and assassinations, which left more than 30 people dead. Curators and artists, however, defend the show as a subtle exploration of the ways images can traumatize a society.”
Aiming For A More Transparent SPAC
As a new management team begins to rebuild the mess left behind by the previous administration at upstate New York’s Saratoga Performing Arts Center, details are emerging that paint a bleak picture of SPAC’s previous management practices. Still, the center’s new treasurer is already hard at work sketching a new path for SPAC’s fundraising apparatus and fiscal management, and like the rest of the new leadership team, he talks a great deal about bringing a new “transparency” to the organization.
Living Here In Allentown, Tearing All The Sculptures Down
“More than 23 years ago, an artist with a growing international reputation for public art made a brief stop in Allentown, [Pennsylvania] to grace the west wall of a popular downtown gathering place with a light sculpture. With much fanfare he strung together 35 galvanized steel bars, etched to catch the rays of the sun and reflect them in an ever-changing prism. Over time, the downtown struggled and the restaurant closed [and] officials made plans to tear down the former Good Spirit eatery and replace it with shiny new offices.” Dale Eldred’s sculpture very nearly went down with the building, but now, thanks to the tireless efforts of a city official, the work has been preserved, and will be moved to a prominent position on Allentown’s new Arts Walk.