“The New York City Ballet is convening what could certainly be called an all-star panel: On Monday, principal dancers Yvonne Borree, Albert Evans, Darci Kistler and Philip Neal will take the stage – not to dance, but to talk about their long NYCB careers, which are coming to a close this season.”
Tag: 05.17.10
Polar Music Prize Goes To Ennio Morricone And Bjork
“Italian composer Ennio Morricone and Icelandic singer Björk have won the 2010 Polar Music Prize, … which includes 1 million kronor ($130,000) each in prize money.” The annual award, which is typically shared by one pop and one classical musician, was established in 1989 by ABBA’s Stig Anderson.
Britain’s First 3-D Film Is About Dance – Street Dance
“Street dance – the umbrella term for dance that originated in groups outside dance studio – has been going on in pockets around Britain since the late 1970s but, thanks to three years’ worth of street-dancing winners on Britain’s Got Talent,” the style is now popular enough to pull crowds to television and cinemas.
Bye Bye Birdie Composer Charles Strouse Stricken Onstage
“Broadway composer Charles Strouse, in Philadelphia yesterday to receive a lifetime-achievement award, fell ill onstage at the Arts Bank performing-arts venue after a musical performance of some of his works.”
Morocco Rejects Islamists’ Calls To Ban Elton John
“Religious conservatives argued that the gay singer would tarnish the image of the north African kingdom were he allowed to perform at the Mawazine World Rhythms festival in the capital Rabat. Despite the opposition, the singer will head the festival, … which brings together musicians from 50 countries and is backed by King Mohammed.”
How Online Culture Is Harmful To Creativity
Robert McCrum: “How many ‘real books’ enjoy ‘darkness and silence’ today? Not many. In 2010, the world of books, and the arts generally, is a bright, raucous and populist place. The internet – and blogs like this – expose everything to scrutiny and discussion. There’s a lot of self-expression, but not necessarily much creativity.”
Labour Needs To Rethink Its Worship Of Contemporary Chic
“This is what Labour needs to learn about culture: the modern does not equal the radical. Nor do history, tradition and achievement equal conservatism. Rembrandt is not a conservative…. The narrow desire to be the party of Tate Modern (and leave the National Gallery to the rightwingers) was a dry and self-diminishing discipline.”
Testimony: Prince Charles Derailed Qataris’ Design Plans
“The court heard on Monday that during a face-to-face exchange over tea at Clarence House, the prince ‘pissed in [the emir’s] ear about how awful the scheme was’, causing him to order aides to withdraw the designs” for a housing development that would have put “more than 500 apartments on the former site of the Chelsea Barracks by Lord Rogers.”
Lawsuit Over Variety Movie Review Is Tossed Out
“A Los Angeles Superior Court last week dismissed a lawsuit that said Variety illegally damaged the movie [‘Iron Cross’] by luring it into last year’s awards race with the offer of an expensive advertising package, then savaging it with a bad review. The court dismissed the suit based on First Amendment grounds.”
A Piano Mover Talks Shop
“I can move a piano by myself if I have to. There are guys who do it. But it’s just not worth it. The average piano weighs 450 to 500 pounds, but a 9-foot concert grand can weigh 1,300 pounds. ‘Come into the world alone, leave it alone, but I’m not working alone.’ That’s my motto.”