A Los Angeles County supervisor’s demand that L.A. Opera “delete the focus on Wagner” from its “Ring” festival “would be a cultural public relations disaster for Los Angeles” and “would bankrupt L.A. Opera, which has been ‘Ring’ obsessed for a decade. It would harm Los Angeles’ economy: The tourism industry is banking on a ‘Ring’ windfall, and the ‘Ring Festival’ brings together 50 different arts organizations. And it’s even bad for the Jews.”
Tag: 07.15.09
Why Celebrating Wagner’s Ring Is Good For Los Angeles
A Los Angeles County supervisor’s demand that L.A. Opera “delete the focus on Wagner” from its “Ring” festival “would be a cultural public relations disaster for Los Angeles…. It would bankrupt L.A. Opera, which has been ‘Ring’ obsessed for a decade. It would harm Los Angeles’ economy: The tourism industry is banking on a ‘Ring’ windfall, and the ‘Ring Festival’ brings together 50 different arts organizations. And it’s even bad for the Jews.” There are artistic and political arguments against it, too.
Convicted Dealer Of Looted Antiquities Loses Italian Appeal
“Giacomo Medici, who Italian authorities say was a key conduit for looted ancient art that landed in museums, such as the Getty and New York’s Met, still faces prison and a $14-million fine after his 2004 conviction was upheld today by an appeals court in Rome. His sentence, however, was reduced from 10 years to eight.”
Stripped Of Tony-Voting Privileges, Critics Are Miffed
Some critics interpreted the decision “as a slap in the face that further marginalizes their standing in the Gotham theater community” and scoffed at the notion that they had “a greater conflict of interest than the producers, presenters and promoters who have vested financial and personal interests in the shows on which they work.”
Ruling: O’Keeffe Museum Has No Standing To Stop Sale
“The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum may represent the painter’s estate but has no right to an art collection she donated to Fisk University, Tennessee’s Court of Appeals has ruled. … The financially struggling university had asked a lower court for permission to sell two of the works” and to allow “a proposed $30 million arrangement to share the collection with the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Ark. “
After 23 Years, Cliburn Foundation Head Retires
“Richard Rodzinski, president of the Van Cliburn Foundation, announced his retirement Tuesday. He led the foundation for 23 years and six competitions, bringing the prestigious Cliburn piano contest into the world of live webcasts. Rodzinski turns 65 in January and his current contract with the Cliburn expires in February.”
Where False Memories Come From
“Individuals often recall the same events differently or report memories of things they should have been too young to recall. … Brain connections that encourage the formation of false memories have been identified. Such memories appear to be more likely in people with high-quality links between neurons in a particular brain area.”
Robert Wilson Pays Final Homage To Pioneering Japanese Dancer
“During the 1960s, Suzushi Hanayagi ventured alone to New York, in an unusual act of courage for a Japanese woman of her generation, armed with training in traditional dance to forge a new form of Western-style modern dance. … Avant-garde theater director Robert Wilson, who worked with Hanayagi in the U.S., has created what he calls their ‘last collaboration’ titled – KOOL – Dancing in My Mind.”
Careful, Book Publishers, Or You’ll Get Napstered
“So far, few consumers think books should be free – a fact that I attribute to the klugy Kindle and its affordable Amazon store. … But that could change in a matter of months if the book industry insists on 1) jacking up the price of e-books and 2) withholding potential best-sellers from the e-book market.”
British Teachers Warn: No More School Trips To Theatre
“Producers are bracing themselves to face a ‘catastrophic’ series of school theatre trip cancellations, due to government guidelines that will make it significantly more expensive for colleges to organise days out for pupils.”