Stories

But not everybody is a Broadway star, wandering down San Francisco’s Pier 39 and singing to the assembled sea lions. - San Francisco Chronicle

"As a librettist, I’m always aware that I’m serving the music. It’s a humbling experience. Coming from the world of theater is a good thing, because theater is all about collaboration and interpretation—you place the work in the hands of others, and it begins to transform.” - Paris Review

But the museum was expecting - even welcoming - the commentary. - Boston Globe

That is to say, the Rocky Balboa statue is no longer on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art - it’s actually inside. Wild, because “when the bronze statue was left on the steps after filming the Rocky movies, the museum fought to have it removed.” - CBS News

But for practical knowledge? Your kids and grandkids know: It’s YouTube. - Slate

The famous Torch Song Trilogy writer and performer: “I try something new every day, and you can try something new every day. … And some of it’s going to be great and some of it’s going to be terrible. But go out and have fun.” - The Guardian (UK)

Haruki Murakami has a new novel coming out, and the narrator is … what? A woman?! - LitHub

“Lego’s appeal, represented by its zillions of plastic blocks and many movies and TV series, transcends nations. It is one of the planet’s top-selling toy brands, and the toy’s singular pixelated appearance is instantly recognizable on any screen.” - Salon

That, basically, is what’s at stake in the low-grade shots fired (culturally speaking) across the internet about Michael. - Wired

“The initial backlash to Cotoye v. Acme being shelved was clearly getting to WBD by November of 2023 when the studio began offering other production houses like Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount (more on this in a bit) the chance to buy the movie’s distribution rights.” - The Verge

No matter how much money it makes, Michael won’t be one of the good ones. - The Guardian (UK)

“Nothing will halt the American addiction to handing out hunks of gilt. For all the supposed independent spirit of the republic, its citizens seem to secretly yearn for the honours system they abandoned in 1776.” - Irish Times

That is to say, “classical” music, and they’re not just for noobs - “There’s plenty for experts to enjoy, too, including detailed structural analyses of specific symphonies and the historical context behind them.” - The New York Times

A fiction author gets a phone call from the government: “Jügler was asked to explain what historical source material he had consulted for Mayfly Season and which period he was planning to tackle in his next book.” - The Guardian (UK)

Sure, they’re relatively young, but that doesn’t avoid the energy and kinetic demands of high-energy dance and music performances. The stars “must train to develop stamina and prevent injuries while also maintaining the specific physique that their industry demands.” - The New York Times