“The internet has always been a magnet for bored people looking for amusement, but while some write a blog and others search for pornography, a growing number get their kicks by sabotaging high-profile websites. Any site that relies on well-meaning contributions from the public is vulnerable – MySpace, Slashdot and YouTube have all been victims – but Wikipedia is particularly susceptible because it is the encyclopaedia anyone can edit, including those whose sole aim is to undermine it.”
Tag: 03.25.07
Birthday Present – Rostropovich On iTunes
To celebrate the cellist’s 80th birthday, EMI is releasing its entire cache of Rostropovich recordings on iTunes. “In addition to over 500 individual tracks, EMI is offering a discounted 80-track ‘Special Edition Bundle,’ a compilation that offers a musical snapshot of Rostropovich’s career. Fifty of the tracks are iTunes exclusives, taken from the 11 unavailable and unreleased albums.”
Warning: Edinburgh Festival Longterm Survival In Doubt
The new director of the Edinburgh International Festival said the festival could be reduced to a single weekend in years to come without better funding. “Statistics show that only the Olympics attracts as many people to a single event as the Edinburgh festivals. But despite this, financial problems have plagued them for years.”
Will “Grease” Reality Show Make Broadway Hit?
The TV show was created to choose leads for a revival of “Grease.” “The impact of Grease: You’re the One That I Want! was felt as soon as the first episode, which was seen by 11.6 million viewers. The box office, which opened the day of the first program, took in $1.3 million in the first two days. And, the TV show’s appeal appears to be drawing a wide geographical audience to Broadway.”
The Literary Alchemist
“Cultivator of well-placed authors, widows and heirs, Glenn Horowitz combines the curiosity of an intellectual with the instincts of a businessman. He is known for sharp elbows, unyielding persistence and the high — some say inflated — prices he extracts for his clients. Through his two galleries on the Upper East Side and in East Hampton, which he runs with the art dealer John McWhinnie, Horowitz organizes book and art exhibitions — and parties that glamorize books as luxury products and help drum up business.”
Remote Learning
“Videoconferencing has been around for years in business, medicine and education.” Now more and more arts organizations are using it for long-distance classes.
Biography’s All The Rage, So…
“It has become, in fact, the most popular area of nonfiction publishing and broadcasting. From People magazine to A&E’s Biography channel, the urge to interview, record, investigate, and speculate about real individuals has become insatiable — leading to heated debates about our right to privacy and the line separating fiction and nonfiction. Yet, despite the fact that biography has moved to the forefront of the arts today, appearing in every medium from biopics to blogs, the academy still won’t deign to touch it.”
Are There Words That Just Shouldn’t Be Used In Theatre?
“There’s more permission in theater to use the word in its most vile context because there is presumption of purpose and the possibility of enlightenment. So you’d think audiences would be more receptive to considering the n-word in a theater.” But experience suggests otherwise.
Chicago’s “Other” Opera Company On A Roll
John Adams’ new opera is getting its premiere at Chicago Opera Theatre. “The Adams coup is just the latest accolade for Chicago Opera Theater, which has evolved exponentially ever since 1999, when Brian Dickie took over as its general director.”
The Cure For Ailing Recording Biz? Live Concerts
The traditional recording industry might be in crisis. But the music isn’t dying. The answer to the business, suggested by the recent SXSW in Austin, might be right out in the open – live performance.