"A trove of sculptures and objects by the design duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne are hitting the auction block at Sotheby's to help fund the Musée d'Orsay's forthcoming research and archive center." - Artnet
When the financial incentives of the people paying for the movies and TV shows are aligned with those of the creators, the overall system is much more cost-effective — and often the movies and TV shows are better. - The New York Times
Oh, it goes way beyond Wordle (which, luckily, only lets us play once a day) and crosswords. A.J. Jacobs looks at the New York Times Spelling Bee, anagrams, "flats," and the particular psycho-chemical buttons they press. - Literary Hub
While Netflix’s competitors still have room to grow — and Disney in particular has committed to growing a lot — agents and creators believe they are seeing the end of the spending spree that has lined many pockets in recent years. - The Hollywood Reporter
"The Orkney Islands has the highest prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the world – with one in 170 Orcadian women living with MS – and on Monday Scottish Ballet Health, along with its partners, launched a dance project to help people with the condition." - Yahoo! (Press Association UK)
Never wish an actor "Good luck." (That's why they say "Break a leg.") Never bring mirrors onstage. Don't wear green. (We didn't know about that one.) Alexis Soloski speaks with several performers now on Broadway about which superstitions and rituals they observe. - The New York Times
"Archaeologists exploring the site – which was discovered amid the Roman ruins in the town of Osuna, 55 miles (90km) east of Seville – say the Phoenician-Carthaginian cemetery dates back to the fourth or fifth century BC." - The Guardian
Toradze had been feeling ill most of last weekend and needed assistance to walk onstage Saturday night to play Stravinsky and Shostakovich with the Vancouver (Wash.) Symphony. He performed fluently but was rushed immediately afterward to a local hospital, where he is currently recovering. - The Columbian (Vancouver, WA)
"The Reedy Creek Improvement District claimed that dissolving the special tax district would violate a pledge (made) by Florida to bondholders under the law that created the district." And that debt, incurred to build and maintain the giant complex, is over $1 billion. - The Hollywood Reporter
"Director General Tim Davie is preparing to announce deep cuts to BBC output in the coming week. ... The corporation estimates it needs to find another £285m ($356m) in annual savings as a result of government-imposed cuts to its budget." - The Guardian
They changed their minds, of course: "70% of the households who initially wanted to pay nothing or less than the £159 ($200.54) per year fee had u-turned by the end of the study." Turns out they used the Beeb more than they had realized. - Deadline
Netflix’s sign of softening brought a screeching halt to the prevailing industry logic that going all-in on streaming investment was the way to please shareholders. - Variety
“When analyzing title after title, it becomes very clear that spikes in piracy are most drastic when a movie is first available to watch in the home: It doesn’t matter if it’s available via premium video-on-demand or subscription video-on-demand.” - The Hollywood Reporter
Over her five-year tenure, Elisa Citterio appointed new artistic directors, explored repertoire from the 17th through 19th centuries, commissioned new works, and encouraged international collaborations. - Ludwig Van
Why, for once, should the company not be led by an actor rather than a director – someone who combines a passion for Shakespeare with an ability to attract lustrous colleagues? - The Guardian
