Archives for November 25, 2015

An excerpt from Magic Fire, William Dieterle’s 1954 film biography of Richard Wagner. Erich Wolfgang Korngold, in costume as Hans Richter, is seen conducting the pit orchestra in excerpts from Der Ring des Nibelungen. This is the only film of Korngold conducting that is known to exist:

(This is the latest in a series of arts-related videos that appear in this space each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.)

“It’s an absurd error to put modern English literature in the curriculum. You should read contemporary literature for pleasure or not read it at all. You shouldn’t be taught to monkey with it. It’s ghastly to think of all the little girls who are taught to read To the Lighthouse.”

Rebecca West, Paris Review interview (Summer 1981)