Tag: 08.03.04

Appraisal: Barnes Assets Only $50 Million

“An appraisal has placed the value of the Barnes Foundation’s ‘non-gallery assets’ of artwork and real estate below the $50 million that may be needed to keep the struggling institution viable” in its current home.” A Judge had ordered the appraisal as he considers the Barnes’ desire to break its founder’s trust and move into downtown Philadelphia.

What Dreams May Come

“Dreams have captivated thinkers since ancient times, but their mystery is now closer than ever to resolution, thanks to new technology that allows scientists to watch the sleeping brain at work. Although there are still many more questions than answers, researchers are now able to see how different parts of the brain work at night, and they’re figuring out how that division of labor influences our dreams. In one sense, it’s the closest we’ve come to recording the soul.”

The Bassoonist Who Saved Orchestra Hall

Paul Ganson is retiring as a bassoonist in the Detroit Symphony. But his instrument is not how his colleagues will remember him best. Ganson is a legend in the Detroit music community, not just for his playing, but for a crusade that he undertook 34 years ago to save the city’s Orchestra Hall. “In September 1970, Orchestra Hall was about to be demolished and replaced by a fast-food operation, a sorry end to a proud history. The concert hall, an acoustical wonder even in its failing condition, was built in 1919…” but the DSO hadn’t performed there in years. It would take a miracle to save the dying building, and a miracle is exactly what Ganson delivered.

Light As A Featherstone

It’s an amazing thing, Vicky Featherstone being named to head the new Scottish National Theatre. “The names being touted for the job were all Scotsmen. For an Englishwoman placed at the helm of a body which it is hoped can inspire a Scottish theatre revival, Featherstone has faced remarkably little grumbling from the old guard, not much beyond the odd letter to a newspaper.”

Nigeria Gets A Movie Theatre

Nigerians love the movies. “The country is famous for its thriving and expanding home-video industry.” But until now, Lagos, the largest city, hasn’t had a songle movie theatre. “Now, however, that has all changed, thanks to the Silverbird Cinemas – an upmarket five-screen Cineplex in the heart of Victoria Island.”

Of Critics And New Discoveries

What role do critics play in the musical infrastructure? Justin Davidson: “Few critics discover new talents. We do not, by and large, conduct the equivalent of artists’ studio visits. Mostly we rely on presenters and performers to sift through the mountains of novelty and put their own reputations at the service of an unknown composer’s. Often those people do a very good job. By the time a composer’s work is being performed at Carnegie Hall or at Disney Hall, that person has likely put in some time in lofts and basements.”

The Tenor And I

Tim Page writes that a new autobiography, due out shortly, will be “one of the most talked-about musical books of the fall season; it will certainly be one of the nastiest. Herbert Breslin, who has served as publicity agent or manager to a cast of clients that includes all four of the aforementioned artists, as well as Marilyn Horne, Itzhak Perlman, Leonard Slatkin and the late Georg Solti, has written his autobiography, in collaboration with New York Times music critic Anne Midgette.”

Architectural Target?

Is there anything in common about the architecture of the announced list of potential al Qaeda building targets? “As the list of targets revealed Sunday by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge demonstrates — again — when it comes to the grisly business of blowing up buildings, these media-savvy terrorists clearly prefer a certain kind of target: Big. Global. American.”