“In a stunning rebuke to the official leadership of the Philadelphia Orchestra, musicians have rejected a strategic plan prepared by president Allison B. Vulgamore and management leaders.” The letter to the board of directors communicating the rejection was signed by 80 out of 100 musicians.
Tag: 08.17.11
Chicago Lyric Opera And Union Reach Agreement, Avoiding Lockout
“Lyric Opera of Chicago and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) reached tentative agreement Tuesday night on a contract for the 2011-12 season. No details of the settlement were forthcoming.”
Offering ‘Pay-What-You-Can’ Tickets For A Play’s Entire Run
“This month the New End theatre in Hampstead, north London, is conducting an ambitious experiment. For the duration of the four-week run of Where’s Your Mama Gone?, every ticket will be sold on a ‘pay what you can’ basis” (Recommended price: £15) “[T]hese tickets are also bookable in advance and available to anyone, regardless of their circumstances.”
Joffrey Ballet Hires New Ballet Master, Dancers
“The Joffrey Ballet has brought a new ballet master on board, as well as eight new dancers from Chicago and around the globe. Nicolas Blanc, who has served as ballet master of the Scottish Ballet since 2009, … will replace Chartel Arthur, who retired after years as both a Joffrey dancer and longtime ballet mistress with the company.”
Is There Anything Even Left For Biographers To Reveal? (Yes)
A boomlet of books about Coco Chanel “raises the crucial question: what does it take to justify a biography today? What makes a publisher think that a dead person’s life is worth the general reader’s attention again? What makes it worth joining a herd of other authors writing about the same life?” (Quite a bit, actually.)
Jazz Label Finds Way To Thrive
“Avant-garde jazz is notoriously marginalized music, and the afflictions now plaguing the recording industry are well known. But through a selective release schedule, a careful eye on the budget, a thoughtful approach to promotion and, crucially, a sense of cultivation and commitment to its artists, Pi has not only survived but has also managed to thrive.”
Was Coco Chanel A Spy For The Germans?
A new book “claims that not only was the designer the lover of a German officer, Hans Gunther von Dincklage, which has been well-documented, but they were spies who went on missions to Madrid and Berlin.”
Why Does Canada’s CBC Ignore The Arts?
“As the CBC reaches its 75th birthday, it seems to have reverted to the giddiness of teenage tastes and inclination. Pop music, yes, the arts, no.”
Ten Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The Theft Of The Mona Lisa
“It took 28 hours for museum officials to realize that the painting had been stolen, not just temporarily removed for photography or study. Once they did, the museum was closed for investigation and didn’t reopen for a week.”
China Invests In Animation For Cultural Diplomacy
“The animation park is clearly a priority for the central government, which included animation production in its current five-year national economic plan. Having rapidly increased its political and economic might globally, China is eager to boost its so-called soft power — its cultural appeal and influence — overseas.”