Tag: 05.05.20

Before Petipa Became A Great Choreographer, He Was Ballet’s Cecil B. DeMille

“Decades before Cecil B. DeMille sent horse-drawn chariots thundering through the desert, the world’s most famous ballet choreographer created an epic version of Egypt for the stage, and paraded live camels, monkeys and lions through a glitzy Russian opera house. With that ballet — titled The Pharoah’s Daughter — Marius Petipa was just getting started.” – The Washington Post

Philippine Government Orders Country’s Largest Broadcast Network Off The Air

ABS-CBN, for years a target of President Rodrigo Duterte for its reporting, was shut down on May 5 as its broadcast license expired. The network’s application to renew, which must be renewed by the Philippine Congress (dominated by Duterte’s allies, and not currently in session due to the pandemic), has been held up for months, and regulators refused to issue an extension until Congress reconvenes. – The Guardian

Arts Groups File Business Interruption Insurance Claims, And Insurers Are Refusing To Pay

“The claims filed by arts groups, from movie theaters to concert halls, have become a particularly intense battleground, in part because the virus ended a primary source of revenue — ticket sales — and in part because so many were financially vulnerable before the crisis hit. In response, insurance companies have issued a torrent of denials, prompting lawsuits across the country and legislative efforts on the state and federal levels to force insurers to make payments.” – The New York Times

This Dance Teacher Is On A Mission To Bring More Dance To Hospitals — Even In A Pandemic

“To continue offering dance despite the pandemic,” Melissa Turnage, a dance artist in residence at several hospitals in Birmingham, Alabama, “[has] made DVDs for each of the units she works with, and has left a ‘dance mobility toolkit’ — a box of scarves, ribbon sticks, balls, streamers and other props — so that hospital staff can lead classes.” – Dance Magazine

Behold The Live-Streaming Fundraising Machine

During the COVID-19 shutdown, live-streamed concerts have grown from a novelty born of necessity into a fixture of cultural life. D-Nice’s dance parties (known to include a presidential candidate or two), Instagram Live’s R&B/hip-hop battles and Fortnite and Minecraft’s virtual festivals have remade live music. Global Citizen’s “One World: Together at Home” event was a veritable live-streamed Live-Aid. Likewise, the Weitz family’s Zooms have become a notable hub for big-dollar fundraising and pop-star appearances. – Los Angeles Times

One Of Sydney’s Major Arts Centers Declares Bankruptcy Due To COVID And The Lockdown

Carriageworks, Australia’s largest arts center devoted to contemporary work, has entered voluntary administration (as it’s called there). A statement from a spokesperson said, “The sudden cancellation or postponement of six months of activities due to restrictions on public gatherings has resulted in an irreparable loss of income.” – The Guardian

Glyndebourne Opera Festival Bows To The Inevitable, Cancels Remainder Of Summer Season

“[Festival management] had previously cancelled all performances up to and including July 14, but the festival was due to continue until August 30. A virtual festival, Glyndebourne Open House, has been announced in its place, which will begin on May 24. Opera fans will be able to stream a free, full-length past production at 5pm every Sunday.” – The Telegraph (UK)