“Conrad Black will loom large in the publishing industry this fall — not in his usual role as newspaper baron or even FDR biographer, but as the subject of two books examining the beleaguered lord’s recent trials with Hollinger International Inc., and his alleged millions of dollars in unauthorized personal payments.” The media baron, who is struggling to maintain his grip on what remains of his personal empire, is a classic example of the type of outsized personality which fascinates other media types, and the fact that Black has a history of being litigious only seems to be encouraging the reporters and authors eager to kick him on his way down.
Tag: 03.03.04
SPAC: City Ballet Just Isn’t Cost-Effective
The recent decision by the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) to end its long association with New York City Ballet sparked much controversy in upstate New York, with everyone from SPAC subscribers to politicians questioning the direction the current board is taking the center. But board members insist that their decision to end City Ballet’s 3-week annual residency was based on long-term problems of cost and attendance which appeared to have no other solution. Even an infusion of cash from the state would likely not be enough to solve the cash-flow problem, and while SPAC’s board is reconsidering its decision, there seems to be a case to be made for the center’s dance needs to be filled by smaller, less expensive companies.
Barenboim in Chicago: Not Quite Dead Yet?
The musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are considering a vote of confidence in the leadership of music director Daniel Barenboim, who announced last month that he would step down from his Chicago post in 2006. If passed, the resolution would be a symbolic but powerful statement from the musicians that they disagree with members of the CSO’s management and board who have long been frustrated with Barenboim’s leadership and personal style. The idea for a musicians’ vote appears to have been born out of a conversation in which several musicians asked Barenboim to reconsider his decision to step aside, and Barenboim’s reply that he would reconsider only if a majority of the orchestra wished him to.
Waiting For The Conductor
So Kent Nagano is officially taking over the reins in Montreal. But his contract with the orchestra doesn’t begin until the fall of 2006, and he’ll conduct only two weeks of the 2004-05 season, due to Nagano’s prior commitment to Berlin’s Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester. Furthermore, Nagano is already speaking out on the necessity of a new concert hall for the MSO, a project which has consistently gone nowhere with the provincial government of Quebec. And how much does a top-flight conductor make these days, anyway? No one at the MSO is saying, but it’s a good bet that the orchestra’s annual budget (currently CAN$18-$19 million) will have to rise to meet Nagano’s salary.
Why Nagano Chose Montreal
“For clues to what Nagano brings the Montreal music community – beyond his world reputation as a nervy tightrope walker in stimulating musical climates – you have to examine his [25-year] relationship with the ragtag [Berkeley Symphony Orchestra.] For the youthful orchestra, comprising mainly part-timers, epitomizes his belief in total engagement with the music. Community means everything to him, specifically his beloved Bay Area, but also branching out into strong personal connections to ‘adopted’ cities where he tackles high-stakes environments with implacable cool.”
Swapping Files, Selling Music
In Austin, the home of the South By Southwest(SXSW) music festival, anyone with a wireless internet connection suddenly has 600 new songs in his/her online iTunes database, absolutely free of charge. SXSW organizers are providing the songs to the shared database as a promotional tool for this year’s festival, which runs March 17-21 and features some 1,200 acts. SXSW has been allowing listeners free access to its music for several years, and many see the wireless project as final proof that file-sharing is, in fact, useful beyond simply allowing consumers to steal music.
Who Can Own A Fact?
As the US Congress struggles to find a reasonable way to update copyright law for the digital age, an alarming possibility has emerged. A draft bill known as the Database and Collections of Information Misappropriation Act is designed to allow companies which collect and disseminate data (online search engines like Google, say) to protect their product from being copied. “But critics say the bill would give the companies ownership of facts – stock quotes, historical health data, sports scores and voter lists. [If that’s true, t]he bill would restrict the kinds of free exchange and shared resources that are essential to an informed citizenry.”
Christ’s Passion Tops Hobbit Love
“Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ has broken the US five-day box office record held by The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Gibson’s controversial religious movie made $125.2m in its first five days, updated figures have confirmed. That pushed it past the Oscar-winning Rings film’s earlier record of $124.1m.”
Neil Simon Gets A New Kidney From His Publicist
“Playwright Neil Simon, who has been increasingly debilitated by kidney problems in recent years, received a kidney yesterday from his longtime friend and publicist, Bill Evans, in transplant surgery at a New York hospital.”