Much French culture never travels beyond French borders. Now a high-budget film and an ambitious musical take a new approach to exporting French culture to the rest of the world. – The Sunday Times (UK)
Tag: 02.20.00
AIN’T NOHOW, NOWHERE
American linguistics professor says that heavily dialectical speech ain’t no sign of lack of intelligence. His critics say he should be fired. – Baltimore Sun
ALL THAT BALLET
“Fosse” celebrates dance on Broadway. Is it any surprise that ballet dancers are wanting in on the action? – New York Times
THE “TWO OLDEST GUYS AROUND”
Metropolitan Museum director Phillippe de Montebello and Guggenheim Museum director Thomas Krens run two of the museum-world’s powerhouses. They have very different ideas of the roles for their institutions in what some call the Golden Age for museums. – New York Times
GOING FOR THE BIG “WOW”
Designing the modern museum show isn’t simply a matter of glass cases and discreet tags any more. Award-winning museum designers Cel Phelan and Steve Simons make an Event out of some Europe’s biggest exhibitions. – Irish Times
CHINESE LOUVRE
The People’s Republic has included plans for a “massive national museum capable of housing the country’s reserve of cultural relics reflecting the nation’s 5,000-year history” to be built in Beijing. – China Times (Taiwan)
RICHLY MISERABLE
Recording companies are raking in the cash. So why are record execs looking so unhappy? “They don’t like the music, they don’t get it, and they’re horrified that people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera are becoming stars,” said Jeff Pollack, a programming consultant for more than 100 U.S. radio stations. “It drives people who have been in the industry absolutely nuts.” – Los Angeles Times
PRICE FIDDLING
The trade in string instruments is as much an art as it is commercial transaction. When Gerald Segelman died in 1992 at the age of 93, he left one of the world’s great collections of rare stringed instruments, worth between $15 million to $34 million. Eight years later, Segelman’s estate claims in a lawsuit that a handful of the world’s top violin dealers colluded to plunder the collection, robbing the estate of millions that had been willed to charity. – Minneapolis Star-Tribune
YO CARUSO!
Producer digitally lifts all the scratches out of Enrico Caruso’s early 20th Century recordings, removes primitive accompaniment and inserts Vienna Radio Symphony behind him. What’s next, Elvis and Enrico in duet? – New York Times
CONTEMPORARY BLOOM
Contemporary classical music is flourishing in London this winter. – London Sunday Times