“The Hungarian pianist … was one of the finest interpreters of Liszt and Chopin in the second half of the 20th century. He also achieved renown as a sensitive and insightful conductor, eventually combining both roles to direct many of the world’s leading orchestras … from the keyboard.” - The Telegraph (UK) (Yahoo!)
We evolved not to cooperate or compete, but with the capacity for both – and with the intelligence to hide competition when it suits us, or to cheat when we’re likely to get away with it. Cooperation is consequently something we need to promote, not presume. - Aeon
Instead of Venice and Cyprus, Shakespeare’s setting for “Othello,” the Shanghai version takes place on an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River, where an American has been hired to help fight the Taiping rebellion, a bloody revolt in the 19th century. - The New York Times
The entertainment industry is in flux, and Disney will need someone with a deft hand if it is to survive and thrive. The business is consolidating around just a few superpowers, many of whom have the luxury of giant tech businesses to fall back on (see: Google and Amazon). - The Wrap (MSN)
This struggle, we have found, applies across the board and includes live music venues, theater groups, performance arts, galleries, and does not discriminate between small and new or legacy organizations. But sometimes we don’t miss something until it’s gone. - CapRadio
The ambitious project was five years in the making and culled street dance resources from a wide-ranging array of sources spanning mediums. - Fjord Review
First introduced in the 1930s, mass-market books (once called “pulps”) sold in huge quantities for decades. Yet sales have been slowly-but-steadily sinking since the 1990s, displaced by ebooks and (more expensive) trade paperbacks, and the wire racks filled with the inexpensive titles in supermarkets, drugstores, and the like have almost disappeared. - The New York Times
Concert promoter and former city councilman Martin Ludlow always wondered why a city full of excellent musicians had no equivalent of the big jazzfests in New Orleans, Montreux, and Montreal. So, starting this August, he’s putting on the LA Jazz Festival, hoping to draw 250,000 fans over 25 days. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
In fiscal year 2025, earned revenue (ticket sales, hall rentals, concessions) reached a record high of $12.1 million. Orchestra Hall reached 82% paid capacity, up almost nine points. Nevertheless, the season ended with a $4.2 million operating loss, compared with a $3.8 million deficit the previous fiscal year. - Twin Cities Pioneer Press
The Folklife Festival normally brings artisans and performers from various spots to the Mall for several weeks. This year, the Smithsonian says it will present mini-versions of the Festival around the country, while the Mall will host a state-fair-style gathering with pavilions from each state and territory. - The New York Times
“Janne Sirén, director … since 2013, used a museum loan to help finance a $710,000 home — more than half of which remains unpaid, including accrued interest, according to a state review.” - ARTnews
All eight of the paper’s in-house photographers have lost their jobs, as has the Pulitzer Prize winner Smee, who has been with the Post for eight years. His colleague Philip Kennicott (another Pulitzer laureate) will remain on staff. - Hyperallergic
“Boosters don’t describe real things so much as what they hope will become real things, often presenting growth as inevitable and betting on optimism as a viable economic strategy. Perhaps unsurprisingly, boosterism has played a major role in American history. … The harsh truth is, boosterism sometimes works.” - Quartz
