“When other forms of concert dance — not to mention movies, TV or the theater — are this empty and useless, it’s easy to openly dislike or even despise them. But ballet has cultivated an intimidation factor that acts like a computer firewall. If people hate ballet, they frequently feel guilty and assume that it’s got to be their own fault, that they’re not educated or sensitive enough… Forget it. Most ballet is every bit as bad as audiences secretly suspect — and it’s not going to improve until companies stop conning or shaming us into accepting damaged goods. In the meantime, guilt-free hatred of ballet is reasonable, maybe even necessary.”
Tag: 08.06.06
The Top-Selling Album Of All Time?
Not Elvis. Or the beatles. Or even Michael Jackson. No, the top selling recording of all time (with room to spare) is the Eagles’ Greatest Hits (1971-75). And what does that say about us?
Harry Potter – Not Just For Kids Anymore
There are conventions of adults taking the Potter ouevre seriously. Really seriously. “We need to recognise that just because something’s popular doesn’t mean it’s bad. There’s a great deal we can learn about things that are popular. And it’s popular among such a diverse group of readers.”
Arrests In Hermitage Theft
Two suspects have been arrested in the theft of 221 artifacts from the Hermitage Museum. “The authorities in Moscow and St. Petersburg declined to discuss the investigation, saying it was still under way. But the Interfax news agency cited an unidentified official close to the investigation as saying the case had been effectively solved. It said the fate of about 70 of the works, including where they had been sold, had been established, although it was not clear whether any of the items had since been found.”
Inside Chihuly Inc.
Glass artist Dale Chihuly has built an empire that nets tens of millions of dollars a year in sales. Has the artist become a factory removed from the art?
Van Gogh A Fake?
Experts are disputing the autheticity of a painting attributed to Van Gogh. “The work, known as either Portrait of a Man or Head of a Man, is said to have been painted by Van Gogh in Paris in the winter of 1886. It is on loan from the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne, Australia, for an exhibition in Scotland.”
Boston Symphony Replaces Floor (And Worries)
The Boston Symphony is replacing the 105-year-old floor of its stage. But not without some trepidation. “The maple floor has an almost mystical reputation among musicians because of its fundamental contribution to the hall’s acoustics, though in many eras the presence of risers on stage for the orchestra diminished that impact.”
Aussies Deny That Its Van Gogh Is Fake
Australia’s National gallery of Victoria is disputing claims that a prize Van Gogh it owns is a fake. “The painting is not mentioned in any of the artist’s letters. It was painted on canvas and mounted on a panel, also unusual for Van Gogh.”