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Peter Brook’s Death “Marks The End Of A Theatrical Era”

"His work, weaned on modernism, liberated by postmodernism and forever revisiting the classics, cared little about aesthetic ideology but was deeply rooted in history. Whatever comes after Brook, it (won't be as) linked to the breakthroughs that defined theater directing as an art form (in itself)." - Yahoo! (Los Angeles Times)

Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” Has Been An Orchestra Favorite For The Fourth Of July.  But Not So Much This Year

"Some groups decided to skip it, arguing that its bellicose themes would be offensive during wartime. Others, eager to show solidarity with Ukraine, added renditions of the Ukrainian national anthem to their programs to counter the overture's exaltation of czarist Russia. Still others are reworking it." - The New York Times

Paris Reveals Planned Overhaul Of Outdoor Space At Notre-Dame

The redesign by landscape architect Bas Smets will include expanded plazas in front and in back of the cathedral; more plantings, including shade trees for queueing crowds, a new welcome center and museum, and a cooling system that will cover the pavement with a ¼-inch sheet of water. - The Guardian

16th-Century Frescoes Which No One Knew Were There Uncovered In Monaco

Wall and ceiling paintings, believed to be by Genoese artists, were found and conserved in three rooms of the Prince's Palace: the Gallery of Hercules, the Chamber of Europe (Salon Matignon), and the Throne Room.  It's unknown exactly when or why the frescoes were covered over. - Artnet

Mariupol’s Drama Theater Is Destroyed, But Its Theater Company Is Still Working

"In all, 13 members of the Mariupol troupe survived the weeks of bombardment of their city. ... In recent weeks, the group has reconvened in the western Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod — where they live together in a dormitory — to rehearse (a) new play." - The New York Times

Stage Director Peter Brook, 97

"He explored the interior world of the self and the nature of reality in dramas of every description – Shakespeare, opera, Asian epic and invented language – on stages and spaces all over the Earth. Literally the earth on many occasions." - The Guardian

Met Museum Raises Admission Price To $30

New York state residents, along with tri-state students, will still retain the option to pay as they wish but for all other visitors, tickets will soon cost $30 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $17 for students, making the Met one of the most expensive museums in the city.  - Hyperallergic

Your Fitbit Is Only A Materialistic Delusion Of Who You Are

In a world flooded with such new devices, it is not at all surprising to find that many people now are not even aware of any aspiration to self-knowledge beyond what may be revealed by the AppleWatch or the Fitbit. - Unherd

Musicologist Richard Taruskin, 77

An emeritus professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and a specialist in Russian music, Mr. Taruskin was the author of a number of groundbreaking musicological studies, including the sweeping six-volume Oxford History of Western Music. - The New York Times

Australian Museums Struggle With Framing Truths About First Nations History

‘Ultimately, it’s about laying the foundations to encourage students’ awareness that multiple perspectives of history exist, and trying to do that in the most sensitive way we can.’ - ArtsHub

Canadian Entertainment Industry Census: A Diversity Problem

A voluntary self-identification census carried out among Directors Guild Canada members found 82.8 percent of the guild’s membership identified as white. Another 18.3 percent identified as Black, indigenous or people of color. - The Hollywood Reporter

Shocked And Confused: Why Is Montreal’s McGill Conservatory Of Music Suddenly Shutting Down?

Administrators said the Conservatory had gone from 550 students in pre-pandemic years to 300 last year, to a projection of less than 100 students next year. This drop in enrollment was one of several factors that made the institution “no longer financially viable nor sustainable.” - La Scena Musicale

Where Do Our Minds Go When We’re Under Anesthesia?

So far, scientists have learned that, generally speaking, anesthetic drugs render people unconscious by altering how parts of the brain communicate. But they still don’t fully understand why. - Nautilus

“Disneyfication”: What Has Xi Jinping’s Government Done To The Ancient Silk Road City Of Kashgar?

BuzzFeed's reporters have compared video and photos from 2017 (not long after the current repression campaign against Uyghurs began) and earlier to more recent images taken by tourists to determine what changes have happened in Kashgar. The city has evidently been turned into a heavily surveilled theme park. - BuzzFeed

Some Of The World’s Best Authors Have Written Books Which Won’t Be Published For 100 Years. Why?

Every year since 2014 a prominent writer to submit a manuscript, and the commissioning will continue until 2113. Then, a century after the project began, they will all finally be published. - BBC

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