Meet The Woman Who’s (Finally) Taking The Helm Of The National Ballet Of Cuba From Alicia Alonso

“Over the years, rumors of possible successors have surfaced and vanished, as [the now-98-year-old] Ms. Alonso, at least partially blind since the 1940s, talked of living to 200. But her grip has finally loosened. In January, the Cuban ministry of culture appointed Viengsay Valdés, the Ballet Nacional’s 42-year-old prima ballerina, as the troupe’s deputy artistic director … She is now responsible for all artistic decisions: programming, casting, promotions.” – The New York Times

Planned New Airport For Machu Picchu Horrifies Archaeologists, Historians

“Bulldozers are already scraping clear millions of tonnes of earth in Chinchero, a picturesque Inca town about 3,800 metres above sea level that is the gateway to the Sacred Valley.” Says one Peruvian art historian, “This is a built landscape; there are terraces and routes which were designed by the Incas. Putting an airport here would destroy it.'” – The Guardian

Weinstein Company (As In Harvey) Files For Bankruptcy Liquidation

“In a bankruptcy filing on Tuesday, lawyers for the studio … said it was burning through what little cash it had left. … The Weinstein Company has been negotiating for more than a year with insurers, creditors and women who have sued for compensation for abuse, and the filing could be legal maneuvering intended to speed up a resolution.” – The New York Times

The Arts Funder Created To Get Away From The Culture Wars Fought Over The NEA

In 2006, weary of the endless political battles over the NEA and worried about the cuts to its funding, the Ford, Prudential, Rockefeller, and Rasmuson Foundations joined forces to create a private-sector equivalent, United States Artists. Says former chair Susan Berresford, “There was an idea that outside the government, there could be an endowment to free yourself from understandable political pressures [in order] to take some risks.” – New York Observer

Britain’s Equivalent Of ‘Jerry Springer Show’ Cancelled After Guest Found Dead

“Given the gravity of recent events,” said the CEO of the ITV network in a statement, “we have decided to end production of The Jeremy Kyle Show.” The grave recent event was the death of a 63-year-old man a week after he failed an on-camera lie detector test while claiming that he had not cheated on his girlfriend. – The New York Times