Stories

Prosecutors For Crimea Investigate Archaeology Researchers Connected To Hermitage For War Crimes

“The prosecutor’s office of the republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol is investigating two unnamed researchers, one of them associated with the Hermitage, for war crimes. The prosecutors say they participated in illegal archaeological expeditions in the territory, which has been occupied by Russia since 2014.” - ARTnews

Conductor Herbert Blomstedt, 99, Cancels More Performances Due To Health

The Swedish maestro, who was hospitalized in May after partially collapsing and being taken from the stage during a San Francisco Symphony concert, has now withdrawn from his September appearances at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. He recently cancelled October dates in London and Tokyo as well. - San Francisco Chronicle (Yahoo!)

Paramount Demands $1.9 Billion Bond From States Suing To Prevent Its Takeover Of Warner Bros.

“In Monday's court filing, Paramount requested the plaintiff states ... as well as the Writers Guild of America, post a bond that would cover some of its costs, including ‘ticking fees’ Paramount promised to pay Warner shareholders should the deal stretch beyond its anticipated September close.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)

ABC Sues Trump’s FCC Over Threats To Network’s Broadcast Licenses

“Further escalating its battle with the Trump administration, ABC on Tuesday took the rare step of suing the Federal Communications Commission on First Amendment grounds, saying the agency’s demand for early review of its broadcast licenses posed an ‘existential threat’ to the network.” - AP

Phyllida Law, Prolific Actress (And Emma Thompson’s Mum), Has Died At 94

She broke into television and theatre in the 1950s, working at (among others) both the London and Bristol Old Vics as well as in the West End. Her film career took off in the 1980s, and she appeared a number of times with each of her daughters, Emma and Sophie Thompson. - The Guardian

Marina Abramović Is Making Art With, Of All Things, Balloons

“Snowy/Windy/Spring on Planet Z, the latest installation by the performance artist Marina Abramović, opened earlier this month at New York’s new Balloon Museum, which bills itself as ‘the first permanent home for inflatable art’.” - The Guardian

Research: Why We’re Bothered More When We Think People Are Wrong (And It’s Not Just A Different Opinion)

Our new research finds that people are more disturbed by others’ beliefs when they feel those beliefs are not merely different from their own but are based on incorrect information. - The Conversation

Some Media Outlets Are Adapting Their Investigative Journalism Into Video Games

“More than three billion people globally play some form of video games. For a media industry with falling revenues and growing audience distrust, games — ranging from simple quizzes to fully-fledged downloadable games and augmented reality experiences — have become a new way to engage and inform audiences.” - Nieman Lab

Dance USA’s New Director On The State Of The Field

The entire field is facing heightened levels of uncertainty, and we have not been spared. Dance/USA needs to reimagine and rebuild its business model. Our existing organizational strategy and structure are not sustainable. I took this job knowing that that was the case. - Dance Magazine

The Onion’s Takeover Of InfoWars May Be The Most Interesting Media Story Of The Year

Since The Onion took over Alex Jones’s rabidly right-wing media property and turned it into a parody of itself, the brand has gotten hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. What could have been a one-note joke has become a real business, with viewership exceeding Jones’s own. - TheWrap (Yahoo!)

Microdramas Are Surging As Hollywood Chases TikTok

Microdramas may be the only thing that’s growing in Hollywood. The format is expected to generate $1.5 billion in revenue in the U.S. this year and jump to nearly $2 billion next year, according to research firm Omdia. - Reuters

National Symphony Announces New Season (No Kennedy Center)

The orchestra said that from September to June, it will stage some 60 performances at six venues across the region. - Washington Post (MSN)

Researchers Use AI To Define Musical “Fingerprints” Of 20 Jazz Greats

In a new paper in Nature Machine Intelligence, three University of Cambridge researchers used AI to help better define the musical tics of 20 of the most celebrated jazz pianists of all time. - Scientific American

The Rijksmuseum Has Digitized 840,000 Artworks And Put Them Online

The museum promised to “bring the museum to you,” and it has delivered not only with its extensive digital collection, free for downloading, sharing and editing with a free Rijksmuseum account, but also with informative series on its website. - Open Culture

To Prepare For Playing St. Francis Of Assisi, This Baritone Went To Live With Franciscan Monks

Canadian baritone Philippe Sly, currently starring in the Salzburg Festival’s production of Messiaen’s six-hour opera St. François d’Assise, is staying at the Kapuzinerkloster, a monastery across the Salzach River from the venue, eating with them in the refectory and attending every prayer service he’s available for. - The New York Times

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