“The news that Shakespeare is being translated into yoofspeak (“Dere was somefing minging in de state of Denmark,” et cetera), while revolting, of course, struck me as not exactly news. Hasn’t this been done before? Or is it from the output of some fifth-rate Radio 4 comedy sketch show?”
Tag: 04.29.08
Wolfgang Wagner Steps Down In Bayreuth
“Wolfgang Wagner, the 88-year-old director of the Richard Wagner Festival in Bayreuth and grandson of the composer, announced he is stepping down from his post after 57 years. The leadership succession stalemate was unlocked when longtime rivals Katharina and 63-year-old Eva Wagner-Pasquier, Wolfgang’s daughter from his first marriage, set aside their differences to submit a joint leadership proposal to the foundation that runs the festival.”
Donor Bails Out Troubled Columbus Symphony For The Rest Of This Season
The symphony’s board of directors announced the donation Monday after the board met to discuss its uncertain future. They said the symphony would have shut down Wednesday without the donation.
Iran Tells Writers To Self-Censor
Iran’s culture minister says writers must censor their work if they want to be published. “It is a clear violation of the law to give an excessive portrayal of a man and woman’s private relationships … and subject our youth and adults to descriptions of intercourse,”
What To Do? (Controversial Art In The School Place)
“What is the ‘appropriate action’ for a professor to take when confronted with controversial student artwork? (Such scandals as Yale’s, though of various degrees of salaciousness and reflecting various degrees of artistic merit, crop up like clockwork.) What are the ambiguities of an art professor’s obligations?”
What Are The Buildings That Matter In Seattle?
“Here’s a basic truth about architecture: A style is almost always held in contempt by the children of the generation that produced it. It’s the grandchildren who finally begin to treasure it.” Now that Seattle is in the midst of a construction boom, what buildings should be saved as important?