The Maestro Mystique (And What It Overlooks)

“[The] mystique surrounding conductors is so strong that it remains tantamount to heresy to suggest that [James] Levine’s conducting, in particular, is ever anything less than breathtaking. … But the conductor retains an ineffable sense of authority, of connection to something greater than mere mortals, in part because what he or she does is so difficult to define, yet so evident in its results.”

Extra Arts Funding In Britain (!): Scotland’s Arts Organizations Get ‘Big Freeze’ Payments

“Scotland’s culture minister Fiona Hyslop has announced severe weather payments totalling £362,000 to arts organisations.
It was, of course, a particularly bad winter. The idea of going to the theatre last December was one of the last things on people’s minds, just getting out the house was more of a priority.”

England’s Regional Theatres Mustn’t Hunker Down Amidst The Classics

Lyn Gardner: “Perhaps it’s hardly surprising: just as hemlines go down in a recession, maybe artistic directors are inclined to look backwards rather than forwards. Perhaps even more importantly, it is a reminder how much confidence and psychology plays a part in creating the conditions necessary for a theatre to take risks, then reap the rewards.”

A New Ballet From Twyla Tharp

“Renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp will create a new full-length ballet jointly commissioned by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Georgia’s Atlanta Ballet … The story ballet will be created in Atlanta and have its world premiere by the Georgia troupe in February, 2012. Tharp will come to Winnipeg to prepare RWB to perform the Canadian premiere in the fall of 2012.”