Proposed Museum Sparks Park Debate In Chicago

The Chicago Children’s Museum wants to build a new home on an unused section of downtown’s popular Grant Park, and a debate over the proposal has been going on citywide ever since the plans were unveiled. Blair Kamin says that the central problem is that those running the museum and the park have yet to take “a hard look at the desultory section of the park the museum covets,” and that they have yet to consider “an expansive vision for remaking this subpar space.”

Baltimore Ticket Battle Finally Settled

“About 70 Baltimore-area theater lovers who were left in the lurch when they bought tickets to shows that abruptly were canceled will receive refunds of about 42 cents on the dollar… The court-appointed trustee filed a final distribution notice yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court outlining the proposed liquidation of the remaining assets of Performing Arts Productions, the Baltimore branch of Baci Management Inc.”

Bronx Film School Looks To The Future

The Bronx’s aptly named Ghetto Film School might seem like an experiment in art and populism, but for its young participants, who give up their summers and weekends to learn the craft of filmmaking from some of the biggest names in the business, it’s a lifeline. “The school is opening a spacious annex near its original location, financed by a $1.2 million grant from the city. Ghetto Film is also working with the Department of Education to develop a cinema-themed high school that would join the elite ranks of specialized schools like the La Guardia High School for the arts.”

TIFF As A Measure Of The Global Film Industry

“Now in its 32nd year, the [Toronto International Film Festival] has grown into an immense industrial happening, with 349 films from 55 countries… Because the Toronto is so large and functions both as a preview for the fall studio season and as an international bazaar, with goods from Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia, [TIFF] makes clear the divide between those movies that matter aesthetically and intellectually… and those movies that matter largely because of their awards potential and the presumed interest to what remains of the discriminating, adult audience.”

Star Tenor To Lay Low Through Year’s End

“Rolando Villazón, one of the most sought-after tenors and an important box office draw for his stage appeal and fine voice, is canceling all performances at least into early next year, his manager said yesterday. ‘Health reasons’ was the explanation… Others in the opera world have speculated that Mr. Villazón is suffering vocal trouble.”

Penumbra Soldiers On

St. Paul’s Penumbra Theatre is one of only three full-season African-American companies in the US, and while success has sometimes meant struggling, the company has become a mainstay of the local scene. “It’s a delicate wedding of realism and idealism, with works tackling social issues yet remaining grounded in the alchemy of a group of people establishing trust over a long period of time.”

Architecture In The Service Of Beautiful Luxury

A new apartment building in San Francisco puts paid to the idea that there’s nothing new under the sun. The building “has a square, 50-by-50-foot facade with floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors, all shaded by the exterior louvered blinds. Above the ground floor, a four-story high, 12-foot-wide light well spanned by glass or metal bridges, cleaves the middle of the structure, front to back. It is a remarkable addition to the streetscape.” More importantly, it’s functional, allowing homeowners to create uniquely beautiful combinations of light and shade at the push of a button.

Strike Averted In Utah?

A tentative deal has been reached for a new musicians’ contract at the Utah Symphony & Opera, with both sides agreeing to recommend ratification. Previously, the musicians had soundly rejected a proposal that management had called its “last, best, and final offer” to avert a work stoppage. The main sticking point had been wages – the US&O is one of the lowest-paid full-time orchestras in the US.