“What is culture? The EU’s own definition – in Article 5: Decision 1419/1999/EC, should you want to look it up – talks about the arts, literature and shared lifestyle. But whose arts? Whose literature? Whose lifestyle? In short, whose culture? Any suggestions gladly received.”
Tag: 11.09.07
What Does It Take To Run A Theatre?
“Successful theatre companies are almost always run by talented, charismatic individuals. Whatever their primary theatrical talent, their skill is in creating an environment where writers, directors, actors, designers and technicians can do their best work. To limit the pool from which these leaders might be chosen to writers, directors or actors is to miss that crucial point.”
Nederlander Buys Live Nationa’s Chicago Theatres
“The relatively high price of Nederlander’s purchase — coming hot on the heels of the deal by Madison Square Garden Entertainment to buy the Chicago Theatre — appears to reflect both the growing value of Chicago’s downtown entertainment venues and Nederlander’s wish to remain in full control of an increasingly buoyant market for Broadway shows.”
A Fresh Eye At Houston’s Menil Collection
“Some on the Menil’s board had been skeptical about appointing then-37-year-old Franklin Sirmans as curator of modern and contemporary art, primarily because of his age. But his youth was one of the qualities that made him appealing, too.”
London Jazz Fest Hums A Theme
“London’s unique selling point is displaying the art of the perfectly formed theme and a knack for pulling off unique events. Last year the festival extolled London’s cultural diversity. This year it is the turn of the great jazz tradition.”
Santa Fe Opera Names New Leader
Charles MacKay is the new general director, replacing Richard Gaddes, who is retiring. MacKay, 57, has served for 23 years at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where he followed Gaddes as that company’s general director.
Investors Sound Alarm Bells After Sotheby’s Auction
“After 11 years of steep growth in the value of fine art, the drop in Sotheby’s stock by about 37% in the course of one day sounded alarm bells. Analysts were particularly struck by the fact that Vincent van Gogh’s landscape, Wheat Fields, possibly his last finished work, painted in 1890 two weeks before he committed suicide, was left unsold; Sotheby’s had valued it at up to $35m (£17.5m).”
Survey: How We Read (And Re-Read)
A new UK study says that 77% of readers re-read favorite books they’ve enjoyed. “The research quotes figures suggesting that we are likely to return to favourite books not just once but over and over, with 17% of readers polled claiming to have read a favourite book more than five times.”
Workers Strike La Scala
Workers at Milan’s famous opera house La Scala have gone on strike, leading to a performance of Verdi’s Requiem to be cancelled.
“Frankenstein” – “Can’t Buy You Laughs”
No, it is not nearly as good as “The Producers,” Mr. Brooks’s previous Broadway musical. No, it is not as much fun as the 1974 Mel Brooks movie, also called “Young Frankenstein,” on which it is based. No, it does not provide $450 worth of pleasure (that being its record-setting price for “premier seating”).