“This book has great propaganda value, not only for its intrinsic message and thought-provoking nature, but also for the circumstances of its publication: we have the opportunity to make Soviet citizens wonder what is wrong with their government, when a fine literary work by the man acknowledged to be the greatest living Russian writer is not even available in his own country in his own language for his own people to read.”
Tag: 04.08.14
Darcey Bussell’s New Mission: Getting Everyone To Dance
“People have forgotten that dance is meant to be part of their lives. Socially, it gets you out and about; physically it’s exercise without too much strain; and it makes you feel great about your body.”
The Wildly Successful Coachella Festival Is Paying Celebrities To Attend. Why?
“The idea of a celebrity getting paid for attending something that normal people are paying to attend — the general admission cost this year was $375 — is infuriating, especially when it’s something like a music festival, that’s meant to be down-to-earth.”
What To Make Of George Bush, Painter?
Jerry Saltz: “I was stunned by this work at the time. I still am. Try to conceive of Abraham Lincoln taking up painting after his presidency. Then imagine him choosing to render himself naked in a bathtub, and you’ll see how creepy-interesting Bush’s bathtub paintings are.”
Is Using Facebook Bad For Your Sense Of Wellbeing?
“Although Facebook is an excellent tool for staying in touch with acquaintances, there are serious disadvantages of using it, such as envy, lowered life satisfaction of basic psychological needs, and dampened mood.”
Union Asks For Court To Freeze San Diego Opera’s Assets
“The labor union that represents singers and chorus members at the San Diego Opera is asking a federal agency to get an injunction freezing the company’s assets so that union members with contracts can be paid.”
The Mickey Rooney Role Nobody Wants to Talk Much About
“In its coverage of Mickey Rooney, there’s one thing the media have generally danced past, and it happens to be the role that has cast the longest shadow out of a career of thousands: His performance as Mr. I.Y. Yunioshi in the classic 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
ARTnews Sold to Private Equity Investor
“Milton Esterow and Judith Esterow, the owners of the magazine since 1972, said in a statement that they sold the 112-year-old publication to Skate Capital, a private asset management firm owned by a Russian, Sergey Skaterschikov.”
Bass-Baritone John Shirley-Quirk Dead at 82
The beloved and widely-recorded singer was admired for his Bach and Handel and English art song, but he was best known for his work with Benjamin Britten, who wrote a number of roles for him.
Why I Wrote A Play About Margaret Thatcher
Moira Buffini, playwright of Handbagged: “When she died last year, my children couldn’t believe that people were partying in the street. This poor old lady had been incapacitated with dementia (like their beloved granny). … I tried to explain what it had been like; why people were still so angry. But my words fell over themselves.”