“Cincinnati has the nation’s fifth oldest symphony orchestra, the second oldest opera company, a Tony Award-winning Playhouse in the Park, the Aronoff Center for Broadway shows, a Shakespeare company, ballet, galleries, museums, a Contemporary Arts Center designed by signature architect Zaha Hadid, two impressive sports stadiums, the Freedom Center and the Banks on the way. Last year, arts, culture and entertainment activities brought more than 10 million people to the city center, according to a study by Downtown Cincinnati Inc. Yet, Cincinnati is struggling to determine what its identity should be.”
Tag: 09.17.06
Are Our New Museums Up To The Task?
“The paradox of a contemporary museum becomes most overt when an institution that deals in established status enters a realm where doubt is both inevitable and essential. It isn’t clear that the museum is the best place for new objects to be tested. With so much invested-financially, culturally, and even politically-in these institutions, their tendency is to cover up the vital uncertainty of the moment (everything from the quality of the work to its meaning and eventual role in history) with a wealth of supporting material.”
How Do You Get People To Come Back To Downtown Cincy?
Cincinnati is losing population at an alarming rate. What to do to counter it? “Most importantly, participants said, the city needs a connector – a way to connect the dots, so Cincinnati is no longer a one-stop city, where people go to the ballgame or a show – then go straight home.”
Classical Music, The Alt Intro
New To classical music and looking for a good introduction? Sure there are the classics, the greats to recommend. But Andrew Adler has an alternative list to try to tempt you.
British Ban On Skinny Models To Follow?
British culture minister Tessa Jowell weighs in on Spain’s skinny model ban. “The other concern must be for the harm it has done to the starving girls who believe emaciation is their route to fame and fortune. Let’s see healthy girls of sizes 8, 10 and 12 with the confidence that comes with really believing you look great. We shouldn’t for one moment underestimate the power of fashion in shaping the attitude of young girls and their feelings about themselves.”
We Have A Maria! (As Chosen By Reality Show)
A 23-year-old Welsh telephone bank worker won a television contest on Saturday to star in a revival of the musical ‘The Sound of Music’ in London’s West End. The reality show attracted 6000 hopefuls to compete.
Controversial Pick For Top Toronto Fest Prize
A film pondering the assassination of George Bush has won the top critics’ prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Death of a President, directed by Gabriel Range, was chosen ‘for the audacity with which it distorts reality, to reveal a larger truth,’ said a statement released by the festival.”
Ira Brilliant, 84, Beethoven Collector
“Housed at San Jose State University, the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies is the only research collection in North America devoted exclusively to Beethoven. The center, which opened its doors in 1985, includes books and manuscripts, rare early editions of Beethoven’s works and, on long-term loan, two fragments of his skull. Its most famous artifact is undoubtedly the lock of Beethoven’s wild hair, which Mr. Brilliant and three colleagues acquired in 1994.”
Not A Chance – Today’s TV Shows Get Quick Hook
It used to be that new network TV shows got a few weeks (even a season) to find out if they could attract an audience. No more. Some shows even get canceled after their first episode…
Moveable Feast – Broadway’s Big Challeneges
What does it take to get a big Broadway show out on the road? It’s a big production. “Business on the road has declined by 30 percent over the past two years, according to figures compiled by the League of American Theatres and Producers. These numbers, however, do not include everything that is on the road, so business may indeed be better than the statistics indicate.”