“The Charlotte Symphony’s musicians are ‘shocked and outraged’ by the Arts & Science Council’s decision to slash the financially troubled orchestra’s funding, the Charlotte Symphony Players’ Association says in a letter to the ASC.” Noting that they understand the symphony’s need “to address its serious financial problems,” the musicians add: “Unfortunately, the ASC’s ‘tough love’ approach could kill the patient.”
Tag: 05.26.09
Padel Apologizes For ‘Grave Error Of Judgment’
“Ruth Padel has ruled herself out of standing again for the Oxford professorship of poetry after she resigned the position last night. … Padel also took the opportunity to apologise to [Derek] Walcott ‘for anything I have done which can be misconstrued as being against him’.” She apologized to Oxford as well.
For Actors & Actresses, Age Matters, But Does It Have To?
“Whether on stage or screen, actors depend on casting directors (and, indeed, audiences) being willing to see them play characters of a wide variety of ages. If it becomes too widely known that Actor X is, say, 40 years old, Actor X is going to worry that he’s not going to be taken seriously when the next part for a 25-year-old ingenue is up for grabs.”
Feeling The Void Where Updike Used To Be
“I miss John Updike. … It’s not that I miss waiting for his next novel to appear. I don’t think I read one since the wonderful ‘In the Beauty of the Lilies’ was published in 1997. I didn’t hold my breath in expectation of those often-convoluted book reviews that showed up in The New Yorker. It’s not that. I miss his being around.”
Now Playing On The Sydney Opera House: Eno’s Paintings
“The artwork of music producer Brian Eno is illuminating the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House as part of a sound and light festival in the city. They have become a canvas for audio-visual work 77 Million Paintings which uses ‘self-generating software’ to manipulate 300 of Eno’s drawings. He says it aims to provoke ‘visual ecstasy’ and ‘heightened calm’.”
Absent For Decades, Live Theatre Returns To British TV
“Sky Arts is to screen six newly commissioned theatre plays live to air for what is believed to be the first time on British television in a quarter of a century. The project, Sky Arts Theatre Live!, will see six authors make their debuts as playwrights collaborating with directors and actors to create original half-hour plays.”
Brooks McNamara, Architect Of Shubert Archive, Dies At 72
“Brooks McNamara, a theater historian who shepherded a vast and disorganized array of letters, photographs, scripts, sheet music, set and costume designs, business records and other memorabilia into a valuable historical collection known as the Shubert Archive, died on May 8 in Doylestown, Pa.”
Analog Faithful Are On A Quest To Resurrect Polaroid Film
“In this small town just across the border from Germany, a small group of Dutch scientists and one irrepressible Austrian salesman have dedicated themselves to the task of reinventing one of the great inventions of the 20th century — Polaroid’s instant film.”
Carless Broadway Makes A More Intimate Times Square
“A large part of the design’s success stems from the altered relationship between the pedestrian and the structures that frame the square. Walking down the cramped, narrow sidewalks, a visitor could never get a feel for the vastness of the place. Now, standing in the middle of Broadway, you have the sense of being in a big public room, the towering billboards and digital screens pressing in on all sides.”
Twitter, The TV Show?
“The social-networking service said Monday it has teamed with Reveille productions and Brillstein Entertainment Partners to develop an unscripted series based on the site, which invites 140-character postings from members around the world. The show would harness Twitter to put players on the trail of celebrities in an interactive, competitive format.”