Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra music director Miguel Harth-Bedoya ran afoul of strict — some say ridiculous — security procedures imposed back in January by Performing Arts Fort Worth Inc., the organization that owns and runs Bass Hall. The rules forbid any bags or purses larger than 12 by 4 by 12 inches. Luggage, backpacks and shopping bags are not allowed, and bags or purses larger than 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches must be inspected. Ushers and security personnel have been scrutinizing arriving audience members and inspecting larger bags.
Tag: 05.16.17
Why The Battle Between Netflix And The Cannes Festival Was Bound To Happen
“France is a paradise for moviegoers, with thriving cinemas and state subsidies for new productions. Netflix is a global streaming giant founded on the concept that movie theaters are a thing of the past. So it was perhaps inevitable that the two worlds would collide over the Cannes Film Festival.”
Is Letting Musicians Do Programming And Management Work Really A Good Idea? Asks Anne Midgette
That’s what Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter is doing, and Midgette “understand[s] the instinct. The performing arts have increasingly devolved into a field in which artists become cogs in a machine operated by other people, from managers and programmers through to stage directors and conductors. … Putting artists in the driver’s seat may seem like an ideal corrective. But bringing artists in as programmers, in capacities they’re not trained in, doesn’t necessarily alter the current model. Indeed, it may reaffirm it.”
David Letterman Wins 2017 Mark Twain Prize
“Like Mark Twain, David Letterman distinguished himself as a cockeyed, deadpan observer of American behavior and, later in life, for his prodigious and distinctive facial hair. Now the two satirists share a further connection … He will officially receive the prize in a ceremony that will be held [at the Kennedy Center] on Oct. 22 and broadcast at a later date.”
The ‘Lady Professor’ Of Flexing On Being A Woman In A Very Male Dance Form
“Shelby Shellz Suzie Q Felton is a rarity in the flex world: a woman. However, as her name implies, she’s not just one woman, but three, wrapped into a single, articulate body. There is the day-to-day Shelby, who is quiet but given to quick humor. Then there’s Shellz, who ‘is very smooth, very relaxed,’ Ms. Felton said. And Suzie Q? ‘Suzie is more cutthroat.'”
How Many People It Takes Now To Write A Hit Song
A new study by Music Week magazine shows it now takes an average of 4.53 writers to create a hit single. The publication analysed the 100 biggest singles of 2016, and found that only four were credited to a single artist.
Top Posts From AJBlogs 05.16.17
Can we, should we, brand “The Arts”?
Barry’s Blog has thoughts on this. He points out, correctly I think, that while individual airline companies – Delta, Virgin, Qantas – try to create a brand image of their own, there is also in the public mind an idea of the airline sector as a whole. … read more
AJBlog: For What It’s Worth Published 2017-05-16
Totally, Irresistibly Captivating
Doug Borwick on a concert by Sammy Miller and the Congregation at this year’s Charlotte Jazz Festival: “… what is related to this blog is their combination of high-end artistry and technical skill, musicianship, and knowledge of their discipline with total dedication to winning converts. The band even has a mission statement.” … read more
AJBlog: Engaging Matters Published 2017-05-16
Mistaken At The Getty, And Grateful About It
I was among the skeptics several years ago … [but] I’m glad to say that the Getty Trust’s messy structure, which has often caused problems in the past, particularly between the Trust’s president and the museum’s director, seems to be working well now. … read more
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts Published 2017-05-16
Monday Recommendation: Broadbent And Mancio
Georgia Mancio, Alan Broadbent, Songbook (Roomspin Records)
Pianist and composer Alan Broadbent has found his lyricist. Further good news: in their Songbook, Georgia Mancio sings her words to Broadbent’s songs with taste, feeling and faultless intonation. … read more
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2017-05-16
Can TicketMaster Really Win Against The Bots?
“To some extent, the problem we’re solving is a problem of our own making. That problem is that we–both Ticketmaster and the industry–have for as long as we’ve been selling tickets, been selling tickets to consumers based on speed. You have a good that’s perpetually priced under market in a sales environment that rewards speed.”
British Labour Party Promises £1 Billion Fund For The Arts
In the party’s election manifesto, published on May 16, Labour said it would introduce a cultural capital fund, totalling £1 billion, to “upgrade our existing cultural and creative infrastructure to be ready for the digital age”. The fund would also invest in creative clusters across the country, designed to boost economic growth through culture. It would be administered through Arts Council England over a period of five years, and is described by Labour as “among the biggest arts infrastructure funds ever”.