Stanley Fish: “[I do not] ‘endorse the idea that lying is acceptable in an autobiography.’ … I am just observing that the truth or falsity of an autobiographer’s assertions is not the main focus of a reader’s interest … (If it were discovered that St. Augustine never stole those pears, would we throw his Confessions away or downgrade the book?)”
Tag: 12.14.09
Witty Or Outrageous? Publishers Weekly Cover Causes Furor
“The magazine – which posted the cover image, as it does every week, on its own website – dedicates an issue annually to African American publishing. But something about the picture and the phrasing got on people’s nerves.” The cover headline is “Afro Picks!” (Click through to see the cover art.)
In Praise Of Older Women (At NY City Ballet)
“Some of the featured ballerinas – Darci Kistler, Jennifer Ringer, Wendy Whelan – have been in the company two decades or more. Kistler, unbelievably, will have 30 years of dancing behind her when she retires next year. … [T]here is no substitute for the assurance and poetic revelation that veteran artists … can bring to the most sophisticated works.”
What Makes An Orchestra ‘Regional’?
Daniel J. Wakin’s description of the Cincinnati Symphony as a “regional” orchestra (a “major regional,” mind you, but still) in a New York Times blog post drew some objections. So Wakin has opened up the question to readers: “Who says a regional orchestra can’t be a good one? … So what does give an orchestra elite status?”
Nutcracker‘s Aftermath: The Fate Of Herr Drosselmeyer
What of the whimsical godfather-figure who gives Clara the soldier-shaped toy? Minnesota dancer/choreographer John Munger’s “Nutbuster!! The Ballet is a one-man show about who this mysterious man might become in his later years – and it’s not a pretty sight.”
Catullus Is Key To A Sexual Harassment Suit
“Ancient Roman poetry is the last thing you might expect to hear at the center of a sexual harassment claim. But in London, a line from a poem by Catullus, written in the first century B.C. has been the focus for lawyers trying to prove that [an] investment banker … illegally dismissed one of his female employees.”
Irish Budget Cuts Harm Arts Less Than Feared
“Finance Minister Brian Lenihan did wield the axe – cutting overall arts funding by 6% and reducing the annual Arts Council subvention from €73.35m to €69.15m – but worse had been expected, given that a raft of arts agencies … had been targeted for abolition in a bid to help the cash-strapped Irish exchequer.”
Why A Nonprofit’s First Big Grant Should Be A Challenge
Michael Kaiser: “By forcing the organization to build a new, larger donor base during the grant period, the transition when the grant is over is eased. The foundation’s money might be gone but the new donors attracted by the match help fill the void.”
British Govt. Funding For Circus Training Is No Joke
“Much of the work going on owes more to contemporary dance and experimental theatre than it does to sawdust and elephants. British circus is holding its own despite the fact that it’s not operating on a level playing field: it receives far less funding – indeed, only a few crumbs from the table – and lacks resources….”
With Return Of Louvre Frescoes, Another Victory For Egypt
“French President Nicolas Sarkozy presented one of the slabs, or steles, to his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, who was on a visit to Paris. The Egyptians had demanded the return of the Pharaonic fragments and had broken off ties with the Louvre.”