“There’s a fundamental problem with bookselling as a business: put bluntly, it’s that people aren’t really into buying books. Bezos discovered this via a 1998 survey that found most shoppers didn’t use Amazon.com and probably never would, because—well—Americans buy very few books.”
Tag: 03.26.14
Our Language Is Being Infested With Jargon!
“If you go on government ministry websites, for instance, the way they write is absolutely impenetrable. It’s all posted online for members of the public, but you can’t understand what they’re saying.”
Osmo Vänskä Is In Talks With Minnesota Orchestra, But –
Would he accept an offer? “Yes, if I can do good music. If I’m going to be able to take care of the orchestra and being their artistic director. And if I’m allowed to make music with them, yes. Otherwise, not.” He also says that the process of “cleaning up things … should happen at every corner of the organization.”
Delaware Art Museum Will Auction Works to Pay Off Debt
“In a rare move, the Delaware Art Museum will sell as many as four works of art, valued at $30 million, to repay [$19.8 million in] debt from a facilities expansion and replenish its endowment, museum leaders announced Wednesday.”
Russian Parliament Prepares to Limit Foreign Films on Russian Screens to 50 Percent
Ruling party deputy Robert Schlegel, author of the legislation: “We basically show American films that promote the stereotypes, national interests and values of the United States. Many of these are low quality. Russia can produce its own films, which will be interesting to viewers.”
BBC: Arts for Everyone? Who Are They Kidding?
Author Stella Duffy looks at the ambitious “arts for everyone” plans BBC Controller Tony Hall has announced – and finds them too London-centric, too establishment, too mainstream and too old-fogey.
Musicals Move Ever Farther Into Opera Houses’ Repertory
The trend started as a way to increase box office income and get some new people inside the building, but now companies in both the U.S. and Europe are proudly mounting full-scale productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Sondheim and even Andrew Lloyd Webber. (Don’t worry, they’re not going to do Mamma Mia!.)
Britain’s National Theatre Raids Channel Four for New CEO
“Tessa Ross, the Film4 controller whose credits include the Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave and Slumdog Millionaire, is leaving Channel 4 to become chief executive of the National Theatre.”
Milwaukee Symphony Raises That $5M It Needs to Finish Season
“The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has successfully completed its $5 million emergency fundraising drive with the help of 1,408 new individual donors, contributing an average gift of $340.25 each.”
Universal Knowledge Allah Pleads Not Guilty to Stealing Stradivarius
Mr. Allah is the second suspect in the stun-gun mugging of Milwaukee Symphony concertmaster Frank Almond and theft of his Strad violin in a parking lot following a chamber concert in late January. (The instrument was recovered the following week.)