“After decades under the control of the government of the capital city, the Jakarta Philharmonic Orchestra has this year taken the bold step of going private. Under the leadership of director Estu Susanto, the Jakarta institution has changed its name (from the Jakarta Symphony Orchestra) and adopted a more professional approach. Now it is seeking to find a whole new audience for classical music, and along the way break down some tired, old stereotypes about the genre.”
Tag: 04.19.12
Bollywood Actress Kidnapped, Murdered By Other Actors
“Bollywood actress Meenakshi Thapar, who appeared in the Indian horror film 404, was kidnapped by two actors who later killed her on the set of her latest movie.”
Will A Supreme Court Case Kill Off Libraries – Or Sharing In General?
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that may kill off the legal basis for sharing (many) books. Then what will libraries do?
Doris Duke’s “Genius” Awards For The Arts Names Its First Class
“Each will receive an unrestricted, multi-year cash grant of $225,000, plus as much as $50,000 more in targeted support for retirement savings and audience development. Creative Capital, DDCF’s primary partner in the Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards, will also offer the awardees the opportunity to take part in professional development activities, financial and legal counseling, and grantee gatherings–all designed to help them maximize the use of their grants.”
Are Americans Lonelier In The Facebook Era? Nope!
“Articles about American alienation may well feel true to those who long for simpler, happier times, but they’re built on fables and fantasies. In fact, there’s zero evidence that we’re more detached or lonely than ever.”
Ancient Boulders In Sweden Might Be Stonehenge Sister
“Archaeologists generally agree this megalithic structure, known as Ales Stenar (“Ale’s Stones”), was assembled about 1,000 years ago, near the end of the Iron Age, as a burial monument. But a team of researchers now argues it’s really 2,500 years old, dating from the Scandinavian Bronze Age, and was built as an astronomical calendar with the same underlying geometry as England’s Stonehenge.”
Playwrights Win 8% Fee Increase At England’s Three ‘National’ Theatres
“Playwrights working for the National Theatre, the Royal Court and the Royal Shakespeare Company are to benefit from an increase of just under 8% on their total minimum fee. The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has secured a rate of £11,500 for writers of original plays used by the three venues.”
Are Human Facial Expressions Universal? Maybe Not
“A new study suggests that East Asians perceive emotion in faces differently from Westerners, casting doubt on the thesis – proposed by Darwin and widely accepted in psychology today – that human facial expressions are largely universal.”
An Ought-To-Be Legendary Violinist And Her Truly Legendary Missing Strad
A new two-hander play in New York recounts the story of the gifted, revered (by those in the know) and maddeningly prickly Erica Morini – and the fabled Stradivarius stolen from her apartment while she was in a hospital, dying.
Ai Weiwei’s Tax Lawsuit Hits Catch-22
“Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is learning a frustrating lesson about challenging Chinese authorities – he is welcome to sue the government over a festering tax case, but must first produce a company seal confiscated by police that he has no way of recovering.”