“The show’s ability to draw so many A-listers is both a testament to its growing success, and a reflection of the fact that there are now far fewer opportunities for classical artists to appear on television, which is still an important medium for reaching, and appealing to, new audiences.”
Tag: 07.20.16
What Do America’s Opera Directors Think About The Impact Of HD Opera In Movie Theatres?
David Devan, Opera Philadelphia: “I think it’s raised the game in terms of people’s aesthetic and performance expectations. If you can go to a movie theater and hear a great singer with a great orchestra with a gazillion-dollar set, that raises the bar for everybody. It did help me raise money to improve the quality of what we put on in the Academy [of Music]. This isn’t about my ego; this is about the necessity of doing work that people will come to. That means there’s a higher standard of care that we must meet.”
What Happened To Great Composers (Do We Have Any Today?)
“The truth is, it’s over. The confident forward march in British music that handed us a lineage of great composers – Britten, Tippett, Maxwell Davies, Birtwistle – has shattered. Given that all the obvious “isms” have been exhausted, composers now face an existential crisis over where music might head next; and, anyway, our culture has decided to privilege ephemeral celebrity over anyone who cares enough about the future to utter anything difficult or challenging. And clued-up composers realise that.”
Turkey Bans Travel By Academics After Coup Attempt
“As you surely know, universities have always been crucial for military juntas in Turkey, and certain individuals are believed to be in contact with cells within the military.”
US’s Largest Collection Of Mexican Art Gets A Long-Awaited Home
“This is the single largest collection of Mexican, Latino, and Chicano art in the U.S., with 17,000 pieces. Those include about 800 pieces of Mexican folk art donated by the family of Nelson Rockefeller and work by Mexican artist Diego Rivera.”
Detroit Institute Of Arts Embarks On Plan To Become Leader In Showing African-American Art
“The new direction represents the first major shift in programming and collecting priorities since the Spanish-born Salort-Pons, the 46-year-old former DIA curator of European art, succeeded Graham Beal as director last fall. The commitment could transform the DIA into a true national power when it comes to collecting, exhibiting, studying and interpreting African-American art.”
Much-Recorded Organist André Isoir Dies On His 81st Birthday
With shelves full of awards, a discography of more than 60 titles, and more than 40 years as titular organist of the famous Saint-Germain des Près church in Paris, he was one of France’s most admired organists, known especially for his improvisation and his Bach. (in French; Google Translate version here)
Lead Troll Who Harassed Female ‘Ghostbusters’ Star Permanently Banned From Twitter
“Milo Yiannopoulos, the technology editor for Breitbart.com, tweeted as @Nero. … [He’s] been suspended from Twitter several times in the past for violating its terms of service … but claims that he had fanned the flames of the harassment of Ghostbusters actor Leslie Jones on Twitter led to a ‘permanent suspension’ from Twitter on Wednesday.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 07.20.16
“The Keeper” Sleeper: The New Museum Displays the Harrowing “Sketchbook from Auschwitz”
“Start on the fourth floor, but make sure not to miss the second floor,” New Museum director Lisa Phillips advised me when I arrived with only an hour to spare … read more
AJBlog: CultureGrrl Published 2016-07-20
Chicago’s free summer music cornucopia – Deutsch, PoKempner photos
It’s hard to find a comparable wealth of beautiful sounds available to all comers, at least west of the Hudson River … In how many American cities does Sunny Adé’s audience, unbidden, sing along in Yoruba? … read more
AJBlog: Jazz Beyond Jazz Published 2016-07-20
Near, Far, Wherever you are
Do communities have to be tied to geography? Locality? Your Youtube Cat Video Appreciation community might have something to say about that. … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-07-20
Community development in the age of social media
Today, more than ever before, artists, individuals, and organizations are using social media to make connections and spark conversations with each other. … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-07-20
The Art of Attachment
The Knight Foundation recently shared the results of a 3 year study, “Soul of the Community” (SOTC) looking at what factors played a role in ‘attaching’ residents to their communities. … read more
AJBlog: Field Notes Published 2016-07-20
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Scientists Release New Improved Map Of The Brain
“Just like regular maps, brain maps are useful points of reference. Scientists use them to agree on what they’re studying in the first place, say, by pointing to something called the “anterior cingulate cortex” and having other people know what they’re talking about. But over time, better data can refine those maps. So a team of researchers have marshaled a huge amount of brain scan data to create a new, precise brain map, published in Nature today.”