Conductor Neeme Jarvi, who “turned 66 in June, left Estonia in 1980, but retains enormous patriotic affection for it. Jarvi’s word is magic in his home country, where he played a key role in inspiring the construction of the new Parnu concert hall and a new opera house and concert hall scheduled to open in 2008 in Tallinn, the capital and Jarvi’s hometown. He is an active participant in Estonian musical life, returning annually to conduct and teach at the academy that bears his name.”
Tag: 08.04.03
San Antonio Symphony Tries To Dig Out Of Bankruptcy
The San Antonio Symphony has only $20,000 in its bank account. And it is meeting with creditors as it tried to reorganize in bankruptcy court. “The symphony hopes to be back in operation as early as November, December or January, and people who bought tickets for the 2003-2004 season will see those tickets honored. But first, the symphony and its musicians must settle on an employment contract. The symphony owes $228,000, or about three weeks’ worth of payroll, to its musicians under the old contract, which expired at the end of last season.”
Van Gogh On Film?
Film had scarcely been invented by 1890 when Van Gogh committed suicide. But some Dutch filmmakers claim to have a snippet of film of the artist. “The Van Gogh film will be shown in his native village of Zundert next Saturday as part of celebrations marking the 150th year of his birth, even though the record of Van Gogh’s work and the lack of other evidence appeared to cast doubt on the claim that a grainy passer-by in the film was the brilliant but troubled painter.”
Movies Grosses Up, Admissions Down
The movies took in more money in July than they did last July. But the increase was due to ticket price increases. “Estimated admissions for the month of July were 194.1 million, down 4% from the 202.5 million tallied during the comparable period in 2002. In a historical context, it was only the 10th highest admission count for the month of July in the past 11 years.”
Real Unreal “Virtual” Situations (And What We Can Learn From Them)
“Blast Theory” is an amalgam of theatre performers and scientists creating interactive “performances” that mix reality with virtual situations. “The laboratory provides the technical and theoretical underpinning for their fascination with computer and communications technology, and its ability to create ‘virtual’ situations that blur distinctions between the real and the imaginary. Verbal and visual ambiguity is very much the stuff of artistic endeavour. But with the development of three- dimensional imaging and ‘intelligent’ and ubiquitous computing devices, a number of scientific laboratories worldwide are attempting to understand how humans will interact with all this smart machinery.”
The New Adult Cartoons
Animation isn’t just for kids anymore. “A host of new, cutting-edge animated shows is set to debut this year and next. Many of them feature brash characters and dysfunctional families, as well as story lines that poke fun at societal and cultural taboos. The new shows, also on such cable channels as Showtime and the Sci Fi Channel, along with the earlier success of “The Simpsons,” “South Park” and Adult Swim’s “Space Ghost Coast to Coast,” prove that TV animation – once dismissed as kids’ stuff – is finally being taken seriously.”
British Museum: Absolute No To Returning Parthenon Marbles
The British Museum has categorically rejected sending the Parthenon Marbles to Greece for the Olympic Games. “Having for years resisted discussing the issue, the museum’s new director, Neil McGregor, told the Greek minister of culture that, as one of a handful of ‘universal, world institutions’, the British Museum was the best place for them.”
Brooklyn Opera Revolt Over Use Of “Virtual” Orchestra
Prominent board members of the three-year-old Opera Company of Brooklyn are resigning over the company’s plans to use a virtual orchestra to accompany a performance of “The Magic Flute”. “The one-night-only production is being presented by the Opera Company of Brooklyn, started just three years ago to help foster the careers of rising opera talent. The company is using the virtual orchestra because it cannot afford a live one,” says the company, which has accumulated a deficit in its short lifetime.