John Storgårds, a Finnish violinist-turned conductor who is also artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, was named the BBC Phil's Principal Guest Conductor in 2012 and Chief Guest Conductor in 2017. He now succeeds Omer Meir Wellber as the orchestra's Chief Conductor. - Gramophone
It must, however, be noted that the 2022 exhibition ran longer than usual, stretching over 197 days instead of 173 days in 2019. According to the Biennale, 41% of this year’s visitors were from Italy while 59% came from other countries. - Hyperallergic
The installation is American photographer Spencer Tunick's latest project, aimed at encouraging Australians to get regular skin checks. Legislation was changed to allow public nudity on the beach for the first time. Australia is the country in the world worst affected by skin cancer. - BBC
The Horniman Museum in south-east London is returning 72 items, including so-called Benin Bronzes, to Nigerian ownership - making it the first in the UK to officially take such action on this scale. - BBC
“Most of the interesting things in the human experience need friction,” Honoré explained, and they benefit from a slower approach: cooking, creativity, thoughtful work, meaningful conversations, relationships. “Digital optimization just leads to a superficial way of being.” - The Walrus
“In this age of misinformation — of ‘fake news,’ conspiracy theories, Twitter trolls, and deepfakes — gaslighting has emerged as a word for our time,” the dictionary company said Monday, unveiling its pick. - Washington Post
During the past two centuries, educators, psychologists, toy companies and parents like us have acted, implicitly or otherwise, as if the purpose of play is to optimise children for adulthood. - The Guardian
Well, at least somebody can afford San Francisco real estate. This fortuitously located building — right next door to the company's theater in the Mission District and around the corner from ODC Dance Commons — will offer space to other groups as well as expansion room for ODC. - San Francisco Chronicle
The innovative aspect of KeyComp, he said, is that a single musician can play one or two of the most important musical lines, and the technology adds subsidiary lines in a way that matches the player’s tempo, articulation and dynamics.
In September, after months of shrinking attendance, producers announced that the longest-running show in Broadway history would finally close this coming February. Ticket sales immediately picked up, and last week's gross box-office set a record. So the run has been extended for eight more weeks. - The New York Times
Feingold’s greatness rested in the agility of his focus. He had the ability to take an aerial view of the work under consideration. But then, with breathtaking swiftness, he would zoom in for a closeup, discussing the production with meticulous visual detail and sensitivity to the choices.
"I always say that it was like trying to invent a new color. The hardest part is trying to get everybody to see this new color that you see. ... Then we follow it and we're discovering it as we go." - Vulture
The more I’ve dug into Stoppard’s biography, the clearer it has become that, in spite of appearing to be a quintessential Englishman, he’s always been an outsider. - Los Angeles Times
Radclyffe Hall's The Well of Loneliness was a powerful, even life-changing story for several generations of gay women. But there's a serious argument to be made that it's actually a trans novel. As for its literary merit, ... well, it has plenty of flaws. - BBC
One user on Stable Diffusion’s sub-reddit said the removal of NSFW content was “censorship,” and “against the spirit philosophy of Open Source community.” Said the user: “To choose to do NSFW content or not, should be in the hands of the end user, no in a limited/censored model.” - The Verge
