Leading Russian Stage Director, Under House Arrest At Home, Is The Talk Of Berlin

“Kirill S. Serebrennikov … [is] accused of embezzling 133 million rubles, or about $2.3 million, in government funds allocated to a festival he ran. For many in Russia and abroad, however, the case against Mr. Serebrennikov seems like a piece of politically motivated theater: punishment for a provocative artist who has been an outspoken critic of President Vladimir V. Putin. … The Gogol Center, the avant-garde theater he has led since 2012, [is now making a high-profile visit to the German capital].”

Small Study: Music Lessons Boost Children’s Cognitive Skills

Researchers followed 147 Dutch schoolchildren—half of whom took supplemental music-education classes, along with their regular curriculum—for two-plus years, beginning at age six. “Children who received music lessons showed improved language-based reasoning, and the ability to plan, organize and complete tasks, as well as improved academic achievement. This suggests that the cognitive skills developed during music lessons can influence children’s cognitive abilities in completely unrelated subjects, leading to overall improved academic performance.”