Tag: 09.02.17

The Case Of Mozart’s Singing Bird

The story of Mozart’s starling might have died with the composer had it not been for one page in his pocket notebook. Directly beneath an entry recording the amount paid for Star are scribbled two lines of music. The first is a theme from Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G major; the second is a near variation on it — different in only two minor details. This second was the song the composer overheard the bird singing in a shop. The similarity wouldn’t be remarkable, except for the fact that the concerto wasn’t officially premiered until some time later.

Professional Ballet Is Back In Indianapolis, 12 Years After Old Company Suddenly Collapsed

“In November 2005, the city’s oldest professional ballet company, Ballet Internationale, was preparing for its annual Nutcracker performance at the Murat Theater when the company suddenly closed their doors – canceling the upcoming show and leaving professional dancers in Indianapolis out of work. For Victoria Lyras that was the beginning of a long twelve years to bring professional ballet back to the Circle City.” (video)

Why Do You Have To Get Your Hate On For Those Standing Ovations?

“Of course, no one has to stand, but I’d rather have a clear default setting. The split-second call of whether to stand or sit can designate you a groupie or a grinch, turning each spectator into a customer taking a satisfaction survey, a Roman emperor delivering the gladiator a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. By eliminating the choice and going with the flow, you leave more room for contemplating the play (or where you’re going to get dinner afterward). And if the choice falls between withholding gratitude or giving it, why not err on the side of generosity without feeling shamed?”

A Big List: Here Are The Jobs That Will Likely Soon Be Replaced By Robots

“The most vulnerable are those in the services sector including cashiers and truck drivers. It will also likely affect low-income workers more than those making six figures. Occupations that are expected to remain in demand for a live human are, not surprisingly, those that require compassion, understanding and moral judgment, such as nurses, teachers and police officers.”

Is There An Expiration Date On The Dancing Body?

“The culture believes there is a limitation to how long you can do this kind of thing for your job and to be onstage performing dance. How do we make that interesting? Both because of the movement and because of that idea, we just started talking about athletes and sports. Can you open up an audience to feel like they want to jump out of their seats at one moment? Or even boo, and feel like something is totally failing onstage? And can this movement that is so athletic lead us into a direction that creates a totally different relationship with an audience?”

Indianapolis Museum Of Art – The Old Museum Versus The New Museum

For some, museum director Charles Venable is “a visionary who is facing the IMA’s fiscal challenges with a new focus on making the museum relevant to more people, including families, couples and millennials looking for experiences. But to critics, Venable is the man who has turned the IMA into a members-only club, de-emphasizing art and accessibility in favor of flowers, food and fun.”