The 65-year-old Levine had a kidney removed in July because of a malignant tumor. The Boston Symphony Orchestra says no further treatment is needed.
Tag: 09.04.08
Culture At The Olympics? A Really Bad Idea
“The Olympiad will go heavy on illegitimate cultural pride. There will be ’12 cutting-edge artists’ commissions across the UK’. The Olympiad so wants to identify with British art that Sebastian Coe is to run shortly in the Martin Creed relay at Tate Britain. Yeah, we’re the artists of the world. What did America or France ever produce to rival our artists now?”
Ancient Instrument Heard For First Time In Centuries
“For the first time in centuries, the harp-like strings of the epigonion have been plucked — well, at least virtually. A group of researchers used computer modeling to simulate the ancient Greek instrument, then knocked out a medieval musical number and put their creation up on the Internet.”
How To Grow An Art Prize
The Sobey Art Award, given annually to an emerging Canadian artist under the age of 40, has attracted criticism as well as praise since its inception in 2002, but organizers have been remarkably quick to respond to concerns and tweak their practices. This year’s finalists are on display at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Canadian Arts Supporters Rally To Defeat Harper
“Supporters of arts and culture rallied last night in a sweltering downtown Toronto theatre to denounce more than $40 million in recent cuts to programs by the Harper government and to strategize on ways to defeat Conservative members of Parliament in the impending election.”
Controversial Mohammed Novel Finds A Publisher
“A romantic novel about the prophet Muhammad that was canceled by Random House after critics said it could provoke Muslim anger has found an English-language publisher in Britain.”
Take Me Out To The Verdi
Washington National Opera has announced that it will air a live simulcast of its production of La Traviata on the state-of-the-art Jumbotron at Nationals Park. “Beer and hot dogs will be served. Admission is free.”
What About The Artist’s Wife?
If it’s true that behind every great man is a great woman, surely these women deserve some exposure. “The book is Hidden in the Shadow of the Master: The Model-Wives of Cézanne, Monet and Rodin, recently published by Yale University Press. In it [the author] tries to rescue from obscurity the women who she argues were so much a part of the triumphs of these visionaries.”
Is Italian Culture Being Starved To Death?
“Arts institutions across Italy are reeling from a sweeping round of budget cuts adopted this summer by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s four-month-old conservative government. More than $1.3 billion has been slashed from the culture ministry’s budget for the next three years.”
Indie Publishers To Get A Technological Helping Hand
“Hundreds of small, independent publishers will have easier access to digital book technology under a new service offered by Perseus Books Group… The new service, called Constellation, will allow independent publishers to make use of electronic readers, digital book search, print-on-demand and other digital formats.”