02.24.14 – Page 2 – ArtsJournal Wayback

Alice Herz-Sommer, 110, Pianist and Oldest Holocaust Survivor

A successful concert musician in Prague before World War II, she was interned at the Nazi’s Potemkin concentration camp, Theresienstadt, where she played in the now-famous orchestra. She is the subject of the short documentary The Lady in Number 6, in contention for an Oscar this weekend.

Ivan Nagy, 70, One of 20th Century’s Great Ballet Dancers

A major star during the 1970s, he made headlines when he abruptly retired from the stage at age 35, when many observers thought he was at his peak. He went on to direct three ballet companies – Santiago (twice), Cincinnati, and English National – where he raised standards, garnered international attention, and always seemed to bring turmoil.

An Anna Deavere Smith for the Revolution in Ukraine

“Kiev’s Independence Square has been home to many writers and artists. The Ukrainian playwright Natalya Vorozhbit spent the last three months conducting interviews around the area. Her intention, she writes, is to create a piece of theatre to capture what happened when a peaceful protest escalated into horror.”

Is ‘House of Cards’ Really a Hit? Depends on What You Mean By ‘Hit’

“If you live somewhere with easy access to Variety or an I-95 exit, it might be impossible to imagine finding somebody who hasn’t heard of (or hasn’t sat, bleary-eyed, ingesting the entirety of) House of Cards … But how many people actually watched the show?” (It may not matter as much as you’d think.)

A Bolshoi Ballet Refugee Gets a New Start in Berlin

In a short video titled Dancing on Rough Ground, “Anastasia Kurkova describes the challenges she faced after leaving her home country to join one of the most competitive ballet companies in Germany.”

Beethoven’s Rowdy, Rambunctious 8th Symphony, Now 200 Years Old

Colin Fleming: “And it is absolutely bonkers, mad, brave, cheekily pugnacious, punchy, and akin to what Lear’s Fool, Samuel Beckett, and a young Mozart might have come up with if those three ever got together to have a musical bash.”

Musician Reveals: Here’s How Much I Earn From Digital Music Sales

Zoë Keating, the cellist, self-releases her music rather than work with a label, and “has made a habit of sharing details of how her earnings break down between different sources, for the benefit of her peers and the wider debate around digital music payouts.”

Sochi Olympics Closes Featuring Arts Culture

In addition to music by Mussorgsky and Rachmaninoff, there were performances by the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Ballets, as well as an homage to artist Marc Chagall.

“Ghostbusters” Writer/Director Harold Ramis, 69

Ramis leaves behind a formidable body of work, with writing credits on such enduring comedies as “National Lampoon’s Animal House” (which upon its 1978 release catapulted the film career of John Belushi, with whom Ramis acted at Second City), “Stripes” (1981) and “Ghostbusters” (in which Ramis also co-starred) plus such directing efforts as “Caddyshack” (1980), “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983), “Groundhog Day” and “Analyze This.”

Tag: 02.24.14