What is on offer from our stages, via podcasts, Zoom presentations, and the rare live productions? Mostly escapes to comfy territory rather than confrontations with the difficult present. These approaches often reflect a yearning for the ‘old normal’ via a focus on Boston’s history. – ArtsFuse
Tag: 09.25.20
Australia’s Archibald Prize Goes To Vincent Namatjira, First Indigenous Winner In 99 Years
“What an honour it is to be the first Indigenous winner of the Archibald prize,” he said. “It only took 99 years. I’m so proud to be the first but I also have to acknowledge all the Indigenous finalists and Indigenous sitters for this year and past years.” – The Guardian
Hilary Mantel’s New Novel Was Thought To Be A Shoe-in For The Booker Prize. But…
After announcing the lineup, judge and novelist Lee Child said The Mirror and the Light was “an absolutely wonderful novel, there’s no question about it”, but “as good as it was, there were some books which were better”. – The Guardian
The Metropolitan Opera’s Big Gamble On The Season After This Non-Season
“The shuttering of performances as well as furloughs of performers and stagehands helped save the Met some money and stem losses, and a boosted digital presence in the form of nightly streams, virtual galas and pay-per-view recitals has attracted 30,000 new donors, allowing the company to end the fiscal year in July with a balanced budget.But with a season clear of performances ahead, the Met is now an organization reliant on donations. It’s disconcerting to say the least, to see the world’s largest performing arts company struggle to keep its balance.” – Washington Post
Want To Buy Dave Brubeck’s House?
Sited on a woodsy 7.5-acre lot, the spacious 6,200 sq. ft. residence was directly inspired by a trip to Japan Brubeck took on tour nearly 60 years ago — one might say he was impressed. Upon his return to the states, the jazz master commissioned his friend, architect Beverly David Thorne, known for his expert ability to build beautiful homes on challenging terrain, to create a Japanese-inspired midcentury modern estate. There are 8 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms. – Variety
Fascinating: Bay Area Songbirds Changed Their Tunes During COVID Lockdown
Male white-crowned sparrows around the San Francisco Bay Area exploited the sudden drop in anthropogenic noise when the region went on strict lockdown in April and May. From their field observations during previous years, the researchers had lots of data to show that urban birds sacrifice song quality for higher amplitudes—basically, they’re yelling to be heard in a noisy environment. When that din suddenly died down, the birds switched to songs that more closely resemble the softer, higher-quality calls of their nearby rural counterparts. – Wired
Decision To Delay Guston Show Divides The Art World
“What those who criticize this decision do not understand is that in the past few months the context in the U.S. has fundamentally, profoundly changed on issues of incendiary and toxic racist imagery in art, regardless of the virtue or intention of the artist who created it.” – The New York Times
Hybrid Theatre – Virtual And In Person
“The Institute for Counterfeit Memory” cannily employs the devices it provides to bring you back to the feeling of being in a room with other spectators, even as it reminds you that you are alone. Its ministrations so impressed me that when I turned over the final cue card instructing me to applaud, I actually did. – Washington Post
Even Rio’s Carnival Has Been Ruined By The Pandemic
“Rio’s League of Samba Schools, LIESA, announced Thursday night that the spread of the coronavirus has made it impossible to safely hold the traditional parades that are a cultural mainstay and, for many, a source of livelihood. … And while the decision is being characterized as a postponement of the event, no new date has been set.” – AP
Fifty Years Too Early: This 1970 Flop Is Just The Satire For 2020
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer, a British film that featured Peter Cook, Graham Chapman and John Cleese of Monty Python, and Harold Pinter (as a vicious talk-show host), ended up coming out about six months too late for the British election it was meant to skewer. “[But] for today, the film’s observations on the intersection of media and politics seem uncannily prescient, anticipating the triumph of two populists on opposite sides of the pond: Donald J. Trump and Boris Johnson.” – The New York Times