Mezzo Anne-Sofie von Otter is an established star. And what is she recording next? And album of ABBA songs. Really? “Why apply a refined instrument that is trained to achieve a supernatural range on the works of a band that groomed itself for the most feeble-minded of musical conventions, the Eurovision Song Contest?”
Tag: 10.21.04
Scottish Theatres Offer Money-Back Guarantee
Two Edinburgh theatres have begun offering a money-back guarantee: buy a ticket to a show, and, when it’s over, if you didn’t like it you get your money back. “We’re always trying to do something a bit innovative when it comes to attracting audiences and this one is really aimed at people who are a bit nervous about going to the theatre.”
Women Gain Power In Aussie TV
The world of Australian TV management has traditionally been dominated by testosterone. But there are signs this is changing, as more women get power in the corporate offices of the country’s commercial TV companies.
Have We Overbuilt Culture?
The 1990s were a time of great expansion in the arts in America. But Andrew Taylor wonders if we have too many new mouths to feed. “Perhaps what we have built together has outstripped the capacity of all combined sources to support it. Perhaps we are entering an era of contraction, merger, bankruptcy, and market adjustment. But the question still festers in my head: ‘overbuilt’ by what measure? Are there too many nonprofit arts organizations? Do they generate too much product? Are the organizations too large or rigid in their construction?”
Cariou, Others Inducted In Theatre Hall Of Fame
Actors Len Cariou, Gregory Hines, Ian McKellen, Brian Murray and Estelle Parsons, playwright A.R. Gurney, designer Santo Loquasto and producer Elizabeth Ireland McCann will be inducted into The Theater Hall of Fame on Jan. 24, 2005.
Pittsburgh – Steeling For The Arts
Think of arts and you think of… Pittsburgh? Absolutely. Over the past 20 years the city has transformed itself from rust bucket industrial to cultural Mecca. “We’re the town of Mr. Rogers and Andy Warhol, which speaks of what we are and what we’re becoming.”
Canadian Artists Lose Ground
The lives of artists in Canada aren’t getting better – at least in economic terms, reports a new study. Though there are more artists than ever, “in 2001, artists made $23,500 – or about 26 per cent less than an average annual salary for all workers. The gap had increased from 1991, when they made 23 per cent less than the average.”
Pavarotti In The Toilet
Music agent Herbert Breslin’s memoir takes aim at Pavarotti. Breslin writes that “in the early days, Pavarotti was a “dream client” but artistic and financial success nurtured complacency, Breslin says, citing his client’s increasing unwillingness to learn roles, memorise librettos or even turn up for performances. As the years went on, it looked more and more like he was taking this gorgeous career of his … and flushing it down the toilet.”
Opera’s New Contemporary Themes
“With many opera companies facing stagnating ticket sales and aging audiences, composers and producers are turning to contemporary conflicts and headline news in a bid to lure new crowds. A new batch of contemporary operas — from rappers rhyming about Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to an experimental musical about Microsoft boss Bill Gates — sets out to change that image.”
The Earthquake That Rebuilt San Francisco’s Museums
The 1989 Bay Area earthquake the best thing to happen to the area’s museums in a long time. Many museums were damaged in the quake and had to address plans to rebuild. “In the mid-1980s, nothing had happened to any of our museums in 50 years. The scene felt very retarded. Now, all these museums have reinvented themselves with new buildings and new initiatives that make people feel differently.”