“As I read books that trade in the particular histories and mythologies of cities – as Chronic City does with New York’s, William Boyd’s Ordinary Thunderstorms or Ian McEwan’s Saturday do with London, or Brad Leithauser’s The Art Student’s War even manage for Detroit – I’m always struck by the scarcity of this kind of literature sprung from Toronto.”
Tag: 03.07.10
Where Is The Fact Checker For Documentaries?
Over the past quarter-century, the Pew Charitable Trusts “has supported documentary filmmaking to the tune of $26 million. But that was mostly for films of the Ken Burns variety, straightforward educational fare destined, in many cases, for public television. Now the organization is on the receiving end of a polemical blast from a small, independent filmmaker who has mastered the art of asymmetrical documentary warfare.”
After Slow Star, Canada’s Stratford Festival Breaks Even
“According to the festival’s report, total revenues for 2009 amounted to $59 million with expenses totalling $58.8 million.”
On Auction: Vasari Archive Of Renaissance Treasures
“On sale will be the archive of the man credited with being the father of Western art history: Giorgio Vasari, whose Lives of the Artists chronicled the lives of the painters and sculptors of the Renaissance. The documents include 17 letters from Vasari’s friend, Michelangelo, together with correspondence from five Renaissance popes and the 16th-century ruler of Florence, Cosimo I de’ Medici.”
3D Everywhere (Even Your TV)
“TV sets with high-tech glasses are in the works, and several stations are gearing up to meet the need, including an ESPN 3-D network that will kick off with this summer’s soccer World Cup.”
The Instruments Making Notes You’ve Never Heard Of
“To musicians, the growing pantheon of Bohlen-Pierce instruments – clarinets, a pan flute, and a 16-foot-long stringed instrument – are a new frontier. To neuroscientists, the exotic music offers a perfect test case for understanding how people’s brains learn an unfamiliar music system…”
Are Tribute Bands A Better Deal Than The Real Thing?
“At a time when a pair of tickets to a concert by the biggest rock bands can run in the hundreds of dollars, tribute bands are gaining newfound respect, drawing big crowds, and earning more money than ever.”