Remembering Judith Crist As (Fearsome) Journalism Professor

“There is a sizable Crist contingent working in journalism today – critics, essayists and writers who were driven to write savvier, and think bigger, by this professor’s blunt assessments. Nothing stung more than her red scrawl in the margins, but nothing was more rewarding than her appraisal that you had taken a commanding stance and argued your point persuasively.”

Is Ballet Dancing Getting Too Spectacular?

“Unfortunately, in these days of what appear to be an Olympian approach to ballet, such ballet artists [as Cynthia Gregory] are hard to find. And sadly, many ballet schools and major companies do not seem to be doing enough to preserve ballet’s greatest asset – its ability to transcend words and transport an audience into their world. Ballet technique that explodes with meaning instead of fireworks is vastly lacking.”

Argentina Builds A Sistema Of Its Own

“A government program” – modeled after Venezuela’s now-famous Sistema – “has set up youth orchestras and choirs in underprivileged areas throughout the country. The instructors and conductors say the students have surpassed their expectations in the orchestra, and their teachers at school say they even notice positive results in the classroom thanks to their participation in the music program.”

Jonas Kaufmann Saves Salzburg Festival’s Bohème At Very Last Minute

Piotr Beczala, who had gotten terrific reviews for his opening night performance as Rodolfo, lost his voice just before Saturday night’s performance – and Salzburg generally doesn’t hire understudies. So Kaufmann, in town to sing Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos the following afternoon, was rushed into the pit (with his supper) to sing the role as Beczala mimed it onstage.