“Inspired by a true story, composer Richard Danielpour and Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison tell the tale of a fugitive slave who kills her children in order to save them from a return to bondage. The A-list creative team and cast, including mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, has the opera world buzzing. But the opera is also galvanizing newcomers and financial supporters within Detroit’s black community.”
Tag: 04.28.05
Which Martha Graham Do You Go For?
“One of the great challenges faced by the present curators is the way Graham’s work changed over the decades. Schooled in the show-biz exotica that was Denishawn, she launched her own career with stark abstractions, moved through patriotic flourish and nostalgic romance, ensconced herself in Greek tragedy, and slid into histrionic decadence during her last years. The technique developed, grew harsh, grew soft; costumes and sets were remade; music was recorded, amplified, scaled down. What we see as Graham repertory today is a composite vision drawn from co-artistic directors Terese Capucilli and Christine Dakin, the exemplars who survive from earlier generations, and a contemporary sensibility suited to today’s dancers and audiences.”
Why Does Turning Off TV Make You Smart?
What’s so smart about turning off your TV? “What does that solve? “Here I am, cutting myself off from the world in the name of …” What? “Spending more quality time with my family?” “Reading a book?” “Getting outside for some exercise and fresh air?” “Contributing to my community in some meaningful way?” … instead of sitting like a lump on the couch, brain in neutral, pallid features bathed in flickering cathode radiation … TV does not prevent you from doing these things. You prevent you from doing these things. It’s called a sense of proportion.”
Fans Mob To Get Free “Scoundrel” Cast Albums
Thousands of fans lined up outside the Broadway home of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” to get free copies of the cast recording. “Fans appeared at the Imperial Theatre as early as 6 AM to be assured of a free album. The discs were distributed 11:30 AM-1 PM. The show’s cast, including stars John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott and Joanna Gleason, and composer David Yazbek, were on hand to sign discs before their Wednesday matinee performance. By noon, the line was blocks-long, stretching across the theatre district.”
Ratings Show TV Viewers Turn Off Election Coverage
British TV viewers are tuning out of election coverage on television. “For the three weeks before the election was called BBC One’s Six O’Clock News had an average of 4.7 million viewers, which has since slipped to 4.5 million. Broadcast editor Conor Dignam said this showed viewers see the election campaign as “a bore”.”
Was Munch’s “Scream” Burned?
A report says Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”, stolen from an Oslo museum last year, might have been burnt. “The newspaper Dagbladet, quoting a criminal source, reports that the paintings have been burnt, in order to destroy evidence. The police denies any knowledge of this, but the newspaper also quotes a confidential police report which allegedly confirms that the investigators also have the same information.”
What Should The New Barnes Look Like?
“If the Barnes Foundation is going to relocate and construct a new building, how should it interpret—or update—its founder’s specific intentions about how the collection should be displayed? The best solution might be to not even try. Why not treat the galleries of the Barnes as an artistically significant artifact, and simply move them to the new location, burlap-covered walls and all? The result would resemble the transplanted historical interiors exhibited in many large museums.”
Are Newspapers Dying? Hmnn – Depends On How You Define It)
“Yes, it’s true that newspapers are steadily losing readers and that younger people will undoubtedly choose the web. Ultimately, the printed word will die off. Not tomorrow or the next day, but in the coming decades. It’s inevitable since it will be more cost-effective (not to mention better for the environment) to distribute news over the web and via cell phones and PDAs than by printing it on paper and relying on trucks to deliver it to newsstands and subscribers’ doorsteps. What is not true, however, is the notion that newspapers are dying. They aren’t. In fact, more people read traditional news outlets today than ever before. But they are doing it on a screen.”
Litblogging Into Relevance
Literary blogs can be addictive for those interested in the written word. And there are so many litblogs to catch up on. “Reading other writers’ writing about writing is hardly what most people would consider “connecting with others.” In fact, maybe I’m even more isolated when I carry around this illusory notion that I’m interacting with people simply because we’re reading the same blog. It’s like celebrity stalkers who think being slapped with a restraining order is as fine and true a connection to fabulousness as being invited to stay in the guesthouse for the weekend.”
Barnes Move Cleared By PA Supremes
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected on a technicality an appeal of the decision which cleared the way for the Barnes Foundation to move from its home in suburban Philadephia to the city’s thriving downtown. The appeal had been filed by an art student, but the high court ruled that he waited too long to file it. Opponents of the move say that they will continue to look for ways to continue their fight, but they would appear to be out of legal options.