It was the Web, and especially V Kontakte (Russia’s Facebook), that made it possible, and, as always in such cases, the old fogeys in charge didn’t catch on until it was too late to stop or co-opt it. So now the Kremlin is nervous. – The New York Times
Tag: 05.21.19
Study: To Teach Music To Students, Ditch Mozart And Add Hip Hop
A four-year study by Youth Music concluded that too many schools fail to include current musical genres and recommended that lessons should focus on “Stormzy rather than Mozart” in order to engage hard-to-reach young people. – The Guardian
Yes, Antonio Banderas Is Totally Playing Pedro Almodóvar In Their New Movie — And Yes, Says Banderas, It Was Weird
“It’s weird to play a character who lived, more weird if he’s still alive — because he’s producing more information every day — and extraordinarily rare that he is behind the camera saying, ‘Action!’ to you. To deal with all of these things was not easy.” – The New York Times
‘Sex, Money And Idiots In Power’ — Why Restoration Comedy And Drama May Be Just The Entertainment For Our Times
“Ever worry about getting paid, getting laid or finding love? Does social anxiety prickle your palms? Do you despair of a world slipping its moorings? Restoration drama may speak to you.” David Jays makes the case — and looks into why actors find the genre so daunting. – The Guardian
China Has Blocked Access To Wikipedia In All Languages
The obvious explanation would be that the 20th anniversary of the Tienanmen Square massacre is upcoming (June 4). “When Wikipedia’s official account tweeted that the reasons for the total block were ‘unknown to us,’ a Shanghai-based user responded, ‘Don’t be daft.'” – Slate
This Opera Company Went Out And Asked Folks What They Want From Opera
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis did some research to find out what could get new people in the door — and, just as importantly, what doesn’t work. – American Theatre
Alabama Public Television Just Blocked Broadcast Of The Cartoon Wedding Of A Rat And An Aardvark
“When the children’s television show Arthur made headlines last week for an episode in which the beloved teacher Mr. Ratburn marries his male aardvark partner, Alabama viewers saw only a rerun of an old episode.” In explanation, APT’s programming director said in a statement, “parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision.” – Slate
Nôtre-Dame’s Walls Are So Unstable That A Strong Gale Could Knock Them Over: Study
“A mechanical engineer at the University of Versailles has modelled the engineering of the structure and shown that the walls of Nôtre-Dame could collapse under the pressure of wind speeds higher than 90km per hour, while before the fire they could withstand winds of up to 220km per hour.” – The Art Newspaper
Did We Just Get A Sign That Hilary Mantel Has Finished Her Cromwell Trilogy?
“On Tuesday (21st May), Waterstones Piccadilly sparked excitement online when it tweeted out a prominent sign, said to be spotted in London’s Leicester Square, which appeared to hint at news on the novel, titled The Mirror and the Light.” The sign has since disappeared from the billboard, and HarperCollins has no comment. – The Bookseller (UK)
Everyone Thought Aretha Franklin Left No Will. Turns Out She May Have Left Three
“In a court filing on Monday, the personal representative of Ms. Franklin’s estate disclosed that three handwritten documents had been discovered just weeks ago at Ms. Franklin’s home — one in a spiral notebook under her sofa cushions, the others in a locked cabinet — and asked a Michigan probate judge to decide whether any of them are valid wills.” – The New York Times