“For longtime Shubert attendees, the newly glorious auditorium will be a jaw–dropper. Over the years, the finer details had become obscured. Relighted and freshly and exquisitely painted in a rich, dark red-and-gold theatrical palette, the moldings, leafing and other decorative elements that had been present for 100 years now pop with astonishing new vivacity. ‘All of the incredible detail had been painted over in that beige and brown. Now people will finally be able to see it’.”
Tag: 05.21.06
Think Small – Why Twin Cities Theatre Thrives
“A few years ago, we analyzed several comparable metropolitan areas that have solid theater reputations and realized that yes, we had the largest (by budget) regional theater in the country and the largest children’s theater and the most-successful dinner theater. But the analysis showed that the healthy current of small and midsize companies was the secret ingredient that pushed the Twin Cities ahead of like-sized metros and made us competitive with the big guys. These smaller troupes provide work for actors, designers, directors, writers, costumers and carpenters. For audiences, they enrich the ecosystem’s diversity.”
LA Suffers In The Movies…
Is there something odd or negative about the way Los Angeles is perceived by the rest of the world? If so, maybe it’s the way the city has been portrayed by the hometown movies industry…
ABT Prepares For Turnover
American Ballet Theatre is facing a slew of impending retirements, with several of the company’s biggest stars approaching the magic age of 40, at which most dancers have to at least contemplating ending their careers. How ABT absorbs the inevitable departures, and how it goes about rebuilding its ranks, will be the most important elements of the company’s long-term future as one of America’s most prestigious ballet troupes.
Because Teletubbies Didn’t Skew Young Enough?
Niche programming is one thing, but do newborns really need their own TV channel? Probably not, but they’re getting one, and those behind it are taking steps to insulate themselves against the inevitable backlash. “In almost every way, BabyFirstTV is an ideal match for its prospective demographic — at its best it is spirited, lively and full of simple wonder, and at its worst it is utterly innocuous.”
Could An L.A. Biennial Be On The Horizon?
Officials in Los Angeles are having preliminary discussions about mounting a major biennial art show in the city. “[County] commissioners held a private ‘informational’ session earlier this month to consider the possibility of staging an international contemporary art exhibition on the L.A. waterfront at an estimated cost of $5 million.”
That’s Gonna Make For A Slim Profit Margin
“Compared with the epic works that have made his name – the shark in formaldehyde, the bisected cow – Damien Hirst’s work in progress is a small, delicate object: a life-size human skull. Not just any skull, mind, but one cast in platinum and encased entirely in diamonds – some 8,500 in all. It will be the most expensive work of art ever created, costing between £8m and £10m.”
Immigration Debate Roils Cultural Waters
“Whatever the economic and regulatory reasons to revise immigration laws, you know there has to be a fair amount of xenophobia lurking about. At the very least, parts of the establishment are threatened by ethnic minorities’ being not so minor these days… Theoretically, great art would be created no matter what. But would our ears have the proper conditioning to perceive it were we not surrounded by immigrants, legal and otherwise, in our everyday lives?”
Barenboim’s Mixed Legacy
Daniel Barenboim’s departure from the Chicago Symphony is finally at hand. So what has the enigmatic conductor’s 15 years at the helm in Chicago meant to the orchestra? “Some players, critics and concertgoers complained that he was inconsistent, rarely conducting the same piece of music the same way twice, often wildly distorting the musical fabric in the process. Why, Barenboim wondered in turn, would anyone want to give the same performance night after night?”
CSO Set Up Nicely For A Barenboim-Less Future
The Chicago Symphony may not have anyone waiting in the wings to replace Daniel Barenboim, but the ensemble is still sitting pretty both artistically and financially as one of America’s top orchestras. The CSO will be a glittering prize for whatever conductor eventually seduces it, and with Bernard Haitink in place as a stopgap solution, the CSO can take its time with the wooing.