ArtsJournal: Arts, Culture, Ideas

Today's Stories

Van Gogh Did Not Intend His Irises To Be Blue

He painted them, back in 1889, in a deep, vibrant purple. Here's how two conservators at the Getty figured that out — and why the irises have turned blue over the intervening 135 years. - Hyperallergic

Comcast To Spin Off MSNBC, E!, Other Cable Channels

The company, which last month said it was studying the idea, will separate off entertainment and news channels including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. Those assets generated about $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months ended Sept. 30. - The Wall Street Journal

How A Refugee From The Kennedy Center Built A Center For Dance In Southern California

Judy Morr "decided to do something nobody else was doing in Southern California, which was to bring major international dance companies to Orange County. That’s how it all started. Dance became the way to establish the Center’s reputation nationally and internationally.” - CultureOC

Musical America Names Its Artists Of The Year

Barbara Hannigan heads the list. - Musical America

After 46 Years, Re-Creating One Of Pina Bausch’s Seminal Dance Works — With Original Cast Members

Meryl Tankard was one of the dancers in the 1978 premiere of Bausch's Kontakthof, and she has now restaged the piece with herself and eight other performers from the first run dancing alongside film footage of the original production. - The New York Times

Study: Many Readers Prefer Chatbot Shakespeare To The Real Thing

A.I. chatbots can imitate famous poets like William Shakespeare well enough to fool many human readers, according to a new paper published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. In addition, many study participants actually preferred the chatbot’s poetry over the works of renowned writers. - Smithsonian

Nigeria Builds A Museum For The 21st Century

The Museum of West African Art (Mowaa), a constellation of buildings and outdoor performance spaces spread out across a 6-hectare (15-acre) campus, will hold its inaugural exhibition in May 2025. - The Guardian

Swedish Company Uses AI To “Post-Edit” And Create Translations Of Books

Nuanxed's approach, known as post-editing (PE), combines the use of AI translation tools with human editing and proofing. According to cofounder and CEO Robert Casten Carlberg, the company completes roughly 50 translations per month, and in total has worked with 150 authors to complete around 800 translations. - Publishers Weekly

Rediscovered: Philadelphia Orchestra Recordings From 80 Years Ago, And They Were Massive Hits

A budget series called "World's Greatest Music," produced by RCA Victor and marketed and distributed by the New York Post, included 38 discs (78 rpm) released from 1938 to 1940; ultimately more than 1 million records were sold. But the performers were unnamed — until now. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

Luigi Nono @100: A Legacy Of Deep Listening

Nono saw the potential to communicate with contemporary audiences, neither bound by nor rejecting the past, building solidarity against any resurgence of the fascism he had resisted under Mussolini. - The New York Times

The Johnny Carson Phenomenon

In our fragmented media landscape, it can be difficult to grasp just how large Carson loomed over the culture. At the center of late-night for 30 years — he presided from 1962 to 1992 — he is the most influential talk-show host of all time, and possibly the most popular figure in the history of television....

Louisiana Almost Killed Its Movie Tax Credit

Last week, the state House of Representatives voted to terminate the incentive effective June 30, 2025, as part of a sweeping tax reform package. In response, hundreds of people jammed the hallways of the state Capitol in Baton Rouge on Sunday to protest the move, which would threaten thousands of film jobs. - Variety

“Les Miz” Has Never Been A Hit In France. This New Production Hopes To Change That.

Les Misérables was originally written in French by two Frenchmen, based on a classic French historical novel — and the musical has been wildly popular just about everywhere except France. Yet an updated version of the show at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris might just catch on. - The New York Times

How Thirty Years Of The UK National Lottery Has Changed Culture

“Without the profound impact of National Lottery funding for the arts, heritage, charity and tourism sectors, introduced by the Conservative government in 1994, survival of even the fittest would have been nigh on impossible." - The Art Newspaper

Author Richard Flanagan Wins Baillie Gifford Prize For Nonfiction — And Turns Down The Prize Money

Accepting the award for his Question 7, the Australian author said he would not take the £50,000 which comes with the prize until sponsor Baillie Gifford presents to the public a plan for divesting from fossil fuel companies and investing in renewable energy. - The Guardian

Longtime Chicago Theater Critic Kris Vire Is Dead At 47

"He was part of the founding editorial crew of Time Out Chicago, once a major force in local arts coverage. … Vire stayed with (Time Out) until 2018, then moved on to a busy freelance career, eventually landing at the Tribune-owned Chicago magazine as a freelance arts-and-entertainment editor." - Chicago Tribune (MSN)

TKTS To Open Discount Ticket Booth In Philadelphia

The outlet, near Independence Hall, will offer 30% to 50% discounts, up to three days before curtain, to select music and dance performances (including the Philadelphia Orchestra and Philadelphia Ballet) as well as theater. This is the first TKTS booth in the US outside New York City. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

Comcast Will Spin Off Its NBCUniversal Cable Channels Into Separate Corporation

"The company, which last month said it was studying the idea, will separate off entertainment and news channels including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. Those assets generated about $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months ended Sept. 30." - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)

Utah Symphony’s Next Music Director Will Be Markus Poschner

The German maestro is currently chief conductor of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and the Bruckner Orchestra Linz in Austria; he begins his term in Utah in 2027, when he departs Linz. Beginning next season, he will also be chief conductor of the Sinfonieorchester Basel. - The Salt Lake Tribune

For The First Time, A Magritte Painting Sells For Nine Figures

One of several versions of René Magritte's "L’Empire des lumières” sold for $121 million at auction at Christie's New York. - CNN

By Topic

How Do Humans Understand Direction? With Language, Of Course

The configuration and language of the four directions is common to many—though not all—cultures. - LitHub

How Might We Communicate With Aliens? Understanding AI Might Help

Unlike bones, we can’t dig up ancient languages to study how they developed over time. While we may be unable to study the true evolution of human language, perhaps a simulation could provide some insights. That’s where AI comes in—a fascinating field of research called emergent communication. - Singularity Hub

Why More Women Than Men Enjoy True Crime

True crime, also known as “murder shows” and “murder podcasts,” really appeal to more women than men. Why? “Most of the true crime I watch reflects a black and white moral universe where victims ultimately get justice, even if it is delayed.” - The New York Times

Let’s Take A Deeper Look At Those So-Called Brain Training Games

Turns out playing a game makes you smarter - but only at playing that game. - The Conversation (Fast Company)

If You Look At Them Right, Every Oscar Film Is An Anti-Trump Experience

“If I can’t get my mind off current events even in a movie where acclaimed character actor Simon McBurney bites the head off a pigeon, what hope is there for any other Oscar contender?” - Vulture

Stop Hating Technology

The thing is, "We invent technology. Technology doesn’t invent us.” (Take that, “AI art.”) - Wired

How Thirty Years Of The UK National Lottery Has Changed Culture

“Without the profound impact of National Lottery funding for the arts, heritage, charity and tourism sectors, introduced by the Conservative government in 1994, survival of even the fittest would have been nigh on impossible." - The Art Newspaper

TKTS To Open Discount Ticket Booth In Philadelphia

The outlet, near Independence Hall, will offer 30% to 50% discounts, up to three days before curtain, to select music and dance performances (including the Philadelphia Orchestra and Philadelphia Ballet) as well as theater. This is the first TKTS booth in the US outside New York City. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

Boston University Puts Hold On Admissions To PhD Programs In Humanities

The university's College of Arts and Sciences has suspended admissions to doctoral programs in a dozen humanities and social science departments, including English, philosophy, history, political science, and sociology. Though officials deny it, evidence indicates that the suspension is in response to the unionization of graduate students. - Inside Higher Ed

Airbnb Wants To Stage Gladiator Battles In The Actual Colosseum. Romans Are Appalled.

Airbnb and the Colosseum Archaeological Park have signed a $1.5 million deal to offer 16 tourists a chance to "unleash their inner gladiator." Colosseum officials say it will pay for site maintenance; many Romans object to both the bad taste of the idea and the company's contributions to overtourism. - CNN

Two Climate Activists Are Charged After A Protest At Stonehenge

The climate activists sprayed orange powder paint on some of Stonehenge’s monuments in June. The English Heritage chief claimed that despite there being no permanent visual damage, the act caused distress “to those for whom Stonehenge holds a spiritual significance.” - Salon

What It’s Like To Be A Queer Artist Under Turkey’s Increasingly Repressive Regime

It’s not that easy. “A government ban on a trans rights exhibition at Depo in Beyoğlu this summer, coming in the wake of anti-LGBTQ+ protests at a separate art show last year, has rattled artists and cultural workers in Turkey.” - Hyperallergic

Musical America Names Its Artists Of The Year

Barbara Hannigan heads the list. - Musical America

Rediscovered: Philadelphia Orchestra Recordings From 80 Years Ago, And They Were Massive Hits

A budget series called "World's Greatest Music," produced by RCA Victor and marketed and distributed by the New York Post, included 38 discs (78 rpm) released from 1938 to 1940; ultimately more than 1 million records were sold. But the performers were unnamed — until now. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)

Luigi Nono @100: A Legacy Of Deep Listening

Nono saw the potential to communicate with contemporary audiences, neither bound by nor rejecting the past, building solidarity against any resurgence of the fascism he had resisted under Mussolini. - The New York Times

Utah Symphony’s Next Music Director Will Be Markus Poschner

The German maestro is currently chief conductor of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and the Bruckner Orchestra Linz in Austria; he begins his term in Utah in 2027, when he departs Linz. Beginning next season, he will also be chief conductor of the Sinfonieorchester Basel. - The Salt Lake Tribune

This Composer Created An Entire Week-Long Piece Specifically For People’s Living Rooms

"Drawing from a bank of over 7,000 'musical shapes, textures and gestures,' as (Michael) Schumacher describes the mix of sampled audio, field recordings and musical fragments, Living Room Pieces assembles the sounds into 301 'modules' and algorithmically arranges their playback through seven 'modes,' one for each day." - The Washington Post (MSN)

London’s Royal Opera Explores What It Means To Have A Voice (And Lose It)

“When you lose your voice, it takes away more than just your ability to communicate. You also lose part of your identity, personality and persona.” - The Guardian

Van Gogh Did Not Intend His Irises To Be Blue

He painted them, back in 1889, in a deep, vibrant purple. Here's how two conservators at the Getty figured that out — and why the irises have turned blue over the intervening 135 years. - Hyperallergic

Nigeria Builds A Museum For The 21st Century

The Museum of West African Art (Mowaa), a constellation of buildings and outdoor performance spaces spread out across a 6-hectare (15-acre) campus, will hold its inaugural exhibition in May 2025. - The Guardian

For The First Time, A Magritte Painting Sells For Nine Figures

One of several versions of René Magritte's "L’Empire des lumières” sold for $121 million at auction at Christie's New York. - CNN

Bay Area Museums Are Struggling To Survive

More than half a dozen nonprofit arts and cultural institutions reviewed by the Chronicle have experienced significant revenue decreases, most say attendance remains below pre-pandemic levels and some have had issues with fundraising in recent years. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

The Prado Museum Casts Itself In The Role Of Literary Muse

Since last year, the Prado has been bringing novelists to live in an apartment overlooking the museum. They stay for periods ranging from three to six weeks, but they are not expected to write there. All they have to do is look at the art — and draw inspiration from what they see. -...

Director Of Smithsonian’s American Art Museum Was Removed After Years Of Staff Complaints

Stephanie Stebich raised more than $100 million for the museum in her seven years there and maintained good relations with the board and senior Smithsonian officials. But former and current staffers describe her decision-making as confused and her management style as anger and recrimination. - The Washington Post (MSN)

Study: Many Readers Prefer Chatbot Shakespeare To The Real Thing

A.I. chatbots can imitate famous poets like William Shakespeare well enough to fool many human readers, according to a new paper published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. In addition, many study participants actually preferred the chatbot’s poetry over the works of renowned writers. - Smithsonian

Swedish Company Uses AI To “Post-Edit” And Create Translations Of Books

Nuanxed's approach, known as post-editing (PE), combines the use of AI translation tools with human editing and proofing. According to cofounder and CEO Robert Casten Carlberg, the company completes roughly 50 translations per month, and in total has worked with 150 authors to complete around 800 translations. - Publishers Weekly

Author Richard Flanagan Wins Baillie Gifford Prize For Nonfiction — And Turns Down The Prize Money

Accepting the award for his Question 7, the Australian author said he would not take the £50,000 which comes with the prize until sponsor Baillie Gifford presents to the public a plan for divesting from fossil fuel companies and investing in renewable energy. - The Guardian

How Technology Has Reshaped The Ways We Talk To One Another

The kinds of speech that strike us as authentic, satisfying, and desirable change with time, and depend on our position in the world and on the conversations happening around us. - The New Yorker

Let’s Get Real: What AI Does Is Not Speaking Language

To invoke language when talking about LLMs is to misunderstand the nature of language and miss its fundamentally lived and embodied character. LLMs may get better and better at sourcing certain kinds of information or completing certain kinds of tasks, but they are finders, not creators. - The Dial

Federal Judge In Texas Temporarily Halts The Onion’s Purchase Of Infowars

"The bankruptcy judge overseeing the Chapter 7 liquidation of Infowars and Jones’ assets on Thursday temporarily halted the transfer of Infowars to The Onion and ordered an evidentiary hearing to review the auction — in which bids were submitted secretly." - Variety

Comcast To Spin Off MSNBC, E!, Other Cable Channels

The company, which last month said it was studying the idea, will separate off entertainment and news channels including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. Those assets generated about $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months ended Sept. 30. - The Wall Street Journal

Louisiana Almost Killed Its Movie Tax Credit

Last week, the state House of Representatives voted to terminate the incentive effective June 30, 2025, as part of a sweeping tax reform package. In response, hundreds of people jammed the hallways of the state Capitol in Baton Rouge on Sunday to protest the move, which would threaten thousands of film jobs. - Variety

Comcast Will Spin Off Its NBCUniversal Cable Channels Into Separate Corporation

"The company, which last month said it was studying the idea, will separate off entertainment and news channels including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. Those assets generated about $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months ended Sept. 30." - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)

The ABC Sports Producer Who Pioneered Real-Time Livestreaming Of A Calamity — In 1972

Geoffrey Mason, aged only 30, was a producer helping run coverage of the Munich Olympics when terrorists from the Black September group took hostage, and eventually murdered, 11 Israeli athletes. - The Hollywood Reporter

What You Get When You Train AI On Werner Herzog Movies

You get a film titled About a Hero, interspersing an AI-written narrative starring Herzog (as a character) investigating a mysterious death with interviews with artists, philosophers, and scientists on AI issues. Yes, Herzog is (in a way) involved, and no, he doesn't like the film. - The Hollywood Reporter

News Service AP Will Cut Eight Percent On Its Staff In Restructuring

The bulk of the changes will come in the U.S., where we remain committed to our 50-state footprint but must evolve to align with changing customer and market needs. - Deadline

How A Refugee From The Kennedy Center Built A Center For Dance In Southern California

Judy Morr "decided to do something nobody else was doing in Southern California, which was to bring major international dance companies to Orange County. That’s how it all started. Dance became the way to establish the Center’s reputation nationally and internationally.” - CultureOC

After 46 Years, Re-Creating One Of Pina Bausch’s Seminal Dance Works — With Original Cast Members

Meryl Tankard was one of the dancers in the 1978 premiere of Bausch's Kontakthof, and she has now restaged the piece with herself and eight other performers from the first run dancing alongside film footage of the original production. - The New York Times

Shen Yun Under Investigation By New York State For Labor Practices

The company is alleged to use underage student performers to work on and off stage for workweeks of well over 40 hours, with extremely busy touring schedules, for only nominal pay. - The New York Times

James Sewell Ballet Will Close After 35 Years

The Minneapolis-based company will shut down next March. "It’s the latest blow to the Twin Cities dance community, less than a year after ... Minnesota Dance Theatre announced in February it would pause its performing company, and the Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts went dark." - The Minnesota Star-Tribune

Russian Dancer Vladimir Shklyarov Has Died At 39

Shklyarov, a principal with the Mariinsky Theatre, fell from the fifth floor of a St. Petersburg building, “while on painkillers.” Federal authorities in Russia are investigating the death. - BBC

How UArts’ Dance Program Was Saved After The School’s Abrupt Collapse

Late last spring, Donna Fay Burchfield, dean of the University of the Arts School of Dance, was as shocked as everyone else when she saw media reports that the Philadelphia school was closing. Here's how she found a new home for the UArts dance program in, of all places, rural Vermont. - Dance Magazine

“Les Miz” Has Never Been A Hit In France. This New Production Hopes To Change That.

Les Misérables was originally written in French by two Frenchmen, based on a classic French historical novel — and the musical has been wildly popular just about everywhere except France. Yet an updated version of the show at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris might just catch on. - The New York Times

Even Northern California Has Issues With Censoring High School Plays

School district officials cancelled Santa Rosa High School's production of Dog Sees God, which depicts the characters of the comic strip Peanuts in high school and deals with themes of bullying, gun violence, and homophobia. A privately-owned theater nearby hosted the production instead. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

How Immersive Dining Shows Became A Popular Art

“Food is a very grounding thing in itself; you want to have a shared experience with people while you’re eating it. When you think about immersive dining, it is very important that that feeling doesn’t get overshadowed by anything else.” - The Stage

Seven Days In The Cultural Life Of A Broadway Stage Manager

“When you create art for a living, sometimes you take for granted how much more art is out there,” says Cody Renard Richard. Still, New York gives him a broad canvas to discover. - The New York Times

The Musical Tammy Faye Feels Like A True Redemption

Tammy Faye "is getting perhaps the gayest tribute a person can have: a Broadway musical,” one composed by Elton John. - The New York Times

Trying To Rebuild The Oregon Shakespeare Festival After Some Extremely Rough Years

What worked in the past, that is, pre-pandemic, is coming around again - more marketing, more membership drives, more discounts, more repertory theatre. Can it work? - Oregon ArtsWatch

The Johnny Carson Phenomenon

In our fragmented media landscape, it can be difficult to grasp just how large Carson loomed over the culture. At the center of late-night for 30 years — he presided from 1962 to 1992 — he is the most influential talk-show host of all time, and possibly the most popular figure in the history...

Longtime Chicago Theater Critic Kris Vire Is Dead At 47

"He was part of the founding editorial crew of Time Out Chicago, once a major force in local arts coverage. … Vire stayed with (Time Out) until 2018, then moved on to a busy freelance career, eventually landing at the Tribune-owned Chicago magazine as a freelance arts-and-entertainment editor." - Chicago Tribune (MSN)

Russian Ballet Dancer Critical Of Putin Falls From 5th Floor To His Death

Multiple Vladimir Putin adversaries have died after falling from windows. The term “Sudden Russian Death Syndrome” was born after many notable Russian figureheads who have spoken out against Putin’s reign died in puzzling ways. One of the most common causes of the deaths are window falls. - The Daily Beast

Arthur Frommer, Who Pioneered The Budget Travel Guide, Has Died At 95

Beginning in 1957 with "Europe on $5 a Day," Frommer’s philosophy changed the way Americans traveled abroad. His advice became so standard that it’s hard to remember how radical it seemed in the days before discount flights and backpacks. - AP

Is This America’s Oldest Working Auctioneer? (He’s Certainly One Of The Quirkiest)

Michael R. Corcoran, 96, of Newport, RI, has an inimitable way of "whipping through hundreds of lots while engaging crowds with a blend of repartee, potted histories, antiquarian acumen and name-dropping with the subtlety of an anvil being shoved off a roof." - The New York Times

Timothy West, Icon Of British Stage And Television, Is Dead At 90

"(He) brought a commanding presence to historical figures like Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin and King Edward VII, and to notables of classic theater like King Lear, Macbeth and Willy Loman. He was perhaps best known to American audiences for his performances in British television imports." - The New York Times

AJ Premium Classifieds

Fall + Winter 2025 Applications Open for MS in Leadership for...

Northwestern University’s MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises (MSLCE) program develops leaders across Entertainment, Media and the Arts. Earn your Master’s in One Year.

Finance Consultant – Arts FMS

Arts FMS is seeking a Finance Consultant who is a highly motivated and self-directed individual with extensive experience with accounting and financial management.

General Director – Opera Colorado

Opera Colorado invites talented leaders possessing drive, ambition, energy, and a deep love of opera to present themselves as candidates for General Director.

Managing Director-Goodspeed Musicals

Goodspeed Musicals (Goodspeed) seeks an accomplished, inspiring, and inclusive arts leader to help guide this storied organization into a vibrant next chapter.

Managing Director – Roundabout Theatre Company

Roundabout Theatre Company is seeking a strong business and operations leader to serve in partnership with with its Artistic Director to chart the future of the nation’s largest theatre producing organization.

Executive Director – Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Kansas City Repertory Theatre (KCRep) is excited to welcome an innovative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial minded professional to serve as the company’s next Executive Director.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Australian National Academy of Music 

The Australian National Academy of Music provides artistic and professional development for the most exceptional young classical musicians from Australia and New Zealand.

Executive Director – Maestra Music

The Executive Director will harness the energy and activities of a rapid movement that has grown exponentially since Maestra’s founding in 2019.

Executive Director – The Washington Ballet

The Executive Director of The Washington Ballet will work in a Co-CEO relationship with the Artistic Director, with both positions reporting to and working collaboratively with the Board of Directors.

AJClassifieds

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center seeks Digital Content Manager

Reporting to the Director of Digital Media, you will take a leading role in ensuring that our website remains dynamic, up-to-date, and filled with compelling content that resonates with classical music enthusiasts at every step of their journey.

Global Executive Arts Management Fellowship

A three-year, fully-subsidized program for arts and culture executives.

Stratford Festival seeks their next Artistic Director

“Stratford is by every measure – budget, employment, attendance, production – the largest repertory theater in North America, and likely the largest nonprofit theater, period.”

Director of Advancement & Audience Strategy – MCC Theater

MCC Theater is pleased to be launching a search for a new senior leader dedicated to revenue strategy, relationship building, and the long-term sustainability of the organization.

Hollywood Writers Wonder If Their Work Is Training Large Language Models, Or What We Call AI

It sure is. “Many AI systems have been trained on TV and film writers’ work. Not just on The Godfather and Alf, but on more than 53,000 other movies and 85,000 other TV episodes. … The files within this data set are not scripts, exactly. Rather, they are subtitles.” - The Atlantic

Yes, We Can Save Opera In The United States

And everywhere - by making it feel new again. Peter Gelb: “The solution to sustaining opera is through artistic reinvention, both with new operas by living composers, and reimagined productions of classics that can resonate with audiences of today.” - The New York Times

In Colorado, There’s No History Without Art

That is to say, “rather than treating art as mere decoration, History Colorado incorporates it as an essential storytelling tool, particularly when addressing challenging subjects.” - Colorado Public Radio

The San Francisco Symphony Chorus Renews Its Protests Of Wage Cuts

“The 32 paid choristers, represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, have not received a pay raise in years and their wages have yet to be restored to pre-pandemic levels.” The Symphony wants an 80 percent budget cut - just to the chorus. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)

Will That Guy Be Able To Sue The Media Into Complicity And Silence?

He’s already had his lawyers go after both The New York Times and Penguin Random House. - LitHub

The Onion Buys Alex Jones’s Site InfoWars (This Is Not Satire)

In a classic case of life imitating parody, the liberal-leaning humor outlet ("America's Finest News Source") purchased Jones's conspiracy-mongering far-right website at a bankruptcy auction held to cover part of the $1.5 billion verdict Jones owes for slandering families of the Sandy Hook school shooting victims. - CNN

At Age 80, Soprano Lucy Shelton Finds Herself With An Opera Career

For decades she has been one of America's leading singers of avant-garde classical music, premiering dozens of pieces by composers from Elliott Carter to Oliver Knussen. But, until recently, she's worked almost entirely on the concert stage. Now she has opera composers writing roles for her. - The New York Times

Working In Public View, Conservators Begin Restoration of Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”

"The process" — taking place in a glass chamber in a gallery at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum — "will involve removing varnish that was applied during its 1975-76 restoration and will significantly change the look of the painting, making white paint whiter and dark areas more visible." - The Washington Post (MSN)

How Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony’s Musicians Saved Their Bankrupt Orchestra

"They got in touch with its foundation and creditors, and built a new board. ... The newly-formed team of directors and musicians spent months trying to find a way to resuscitate the southern Ontario symphony. And in October, they pulled it off." - The Globe and Mail (Canada)

Huge Art Forgery Enterprise Busted By Italian Police

"The seizures in Italy, France, Spain and Belgium netted 2,100 fake works attributed to more than 30 famed artists, including Andy Warhol, Amedeo Modigliani, Banksy, Pablo Picasso, Joan Mirò, Francis Bacon, Wassily Kandinsky, Henry Moore and Gustav Klimt," potentially worth €200 million. - AP

Why Is A Biden Appointee Removing Negative Events From The National Archives Exhibits?

"Archivist of the United States Colleen Shogan and her top aides directed employees to remove certain objects and details over the past year in order to avoid angering Republican legislators and making visitors feel ‘confronted.’” - Hyperallergic

The Torture-Filled World Of A Social Media Moderator

“‘If you take your phone and then go to TikTok, you will see a lot of activities, dancing, you know, happy things,’ says Mojez, a former Nairobi-based moderator who worked on TikTok content. ‘But in the background, I personally was moderating, in the hundreds, horrific and traumatising videos.’” - BBC
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