Singer and actor Florian Pittis, who became a beacon of hope to many Romanians living under the brutal Ceausescu regime, died Sunday at age 63. “His actual gestures of defiance may not look like much today. A word here, a song there – but for many, it was a sign of hope… His energy was legendary and magnetic. For a few hours, he gave you a taste of freedom.”
Tag: 08.07.07
Masekala: South African Leaders Afraid Of Music
“Virtuoso trumpeter Hugh Masekela claims that many of the talented musicians whose voices became symbols of protest against white domination are finding it hard to get bookings in South Africa because the ruling ANC is ‘terrified’ of music as an agent of change. “
Sounds About Right
The political life of Tony Blair is fodder for not one, but two musicals currently playing at the Edinburgh Fringe. “The shows – called, perhaps a touch confusingly, Tony Blair – the Musical, and Tony! The Blair Musical – have a surprisingly similar take on the Blair years, portraying a fresh-faced, optimistic figure gradually tarnished by time, experience, and war with Iraq.”
A Low-Key Year For The Booker?
The long list for the Man Booker Prize is out, and it’s decidedly short on star power. “In contrast with previous years, 2007’s list is restricted to a ‘Man Booker dozen’ – a mere 13 titles, compared with the usual 18-24. This new brevity coincides with a year in which few of the biggest literary names have chosen to publish; as a result, the longlist contains only two authors… who can genuinely be described as household names.”
Stolen Picassos Recovered In Paris
“Police have found two paintings and a drawing by Pablo Picasso stolen from his granddaughter’s apartment in Paris in February… Three people were arrested in Paris and are awaiting charges over the theft.” The combined value of the recovered works is nearly $69m.
US Revokes UK Pop Singer’s Visa
“Pop star Lily Allen has had her US work visa cancelled after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport… She was held at the airport for five hours in connection with an arrest for an alleged assault in London in June.” Allen will need to apply for a new work visa before returning to the US for scheduled concerts in early September.
Arkansas Symphony Official Guilty of Embezzlement
“The former finance director of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra admitted to stealing $160,000 from the group Monday, in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence and paying $24,000 in restitution… Lee, a 14-year symphony employee who had earned $42,500 a year, stole the money from July 2001 through September 2005.”
Mann Center President Decamps After A Decade
“Peter B. Lane, president and chief executive officer of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, will leave the semi-outdoor Fairmount Park facility in mid-September after a decade of shoring up the center’s financial stability and revamping its public identity. The announcement, made yesterday by the Mann Center, said Lane will become CEO of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts at the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival in Upstate New York.”
Unveiled: Contenders For West Coast’s Tallest Building
“Three competing proposals for what would be the tallest building on the West Coast were unveiled Monday in San Francisco amid architectural fanfare and political buzz. There’s no guarantee that any of the towers will be built, or that the design to be selected next month by public officials will reach the heights envisioned by the development teams. But the audacity of the designs – and the favorable response from elected officials – showed that the recent startling changes to the city’s skyline are only a prelude to what could lie ahead.”
Seeking San Francisco’s Architectural Essence
“San Francisco’s architecture isn’t defined by specific heights, or a checklist of specific design elements, such as bay windows or Victorian frill. Our brand of urbanity is rooted in some ineffable sense of place and state of grace – subjective yardsticks indeed. But this I do know: The buildings and districts and landscapes we’ve inherited are strong enough to withstand the shock of the new.”