“Two months into Josh D’Amaro’s leadership, amid renewed calls from the White House to fire (Jimmy) Kimmel and the Federal Communications Commission threatening ABC’s The View, Disney is biting back. Disney’s 52-page brief to the FCC last week marked a pivot from its conciliatory approach under (Bob) Iger to Trump’s second term.” - TheWrap (Yahoo!)
Music revenues were up 6.4% last year, marking its eleventh consecutive year of growth. The industry has doubled since 2014 and there are now 837 million people paying for streaming subscriptions around the world. - The Artist Economy
A study of thousands of students at Rutgers University found that, in 2017, a majority copied their homework answers from the internet. AI has taken that dynamic to new extremes. It can mimic any writing style, produce a unique essay, and add in typos to make it appear human-authored. - The Atlantic
The British Australian musician is suing the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for discrimination based on political belief, after it cancelled one of his scheduled performances. His recital was cancelled after he dedicated a new piece by Australian composer Connor D'Netto to journalists killed in Gaza. - ABC (Australia)
Back in 2016, Missy Mazzoli and Ellen Reid ralked about the fact that neither of them had had any female composers as mentors, and they decided to remedy that situation for their younger colleagues. So they created Luna Composition Lab, now observing its 10th anniversary. - The New York Times
It’s not just a matter of advertising in the playbills; that’s been happening for decades. Van Cleef and Arpels has directly funded dance festivals in six cities on three continents, while Chanel sponsors a large biennial award to (among others) choreographers. But are there serious ethical issues tied to this money? - Dance Magazine
Lithuanian conductor Giedrė Šlekytė, 37, becomes Music Director Designate immediately and fully assumes the job in the fall of 2027. Current music director Thomas Søndergård, who is also music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, will take an emeritus title. - Bachtrack
The Joseph Jefferson Awards present two sets of honors, one for Equity productions and another for non-union shows at the area’s storefront theaters. The Jeff Committee is suspending consideration of non-Equity shows opening after June 1 due to backlash over an award in March to a director accused of abuse. - WBEZ (Chicago)
“In a lawsuit filed Monday, The Cultural Landscape Foundation said the administration’s moves to repaint the bottom of the Reflecting Pool blue without undergoing relevant reviews ran afoul to federal preservation laws governing historic sites.” - AP
“The investigation began after the suspect was stopped by police in Paris on April 28; he was allegedly driving with a forged license. Officials said the man's phone was accessed after that traffic stop. … The Interior Ministry said … the man was arrested before details of the attack had been fully formulated.” - ABC News
“Called National Theatre Nationwide, the initiative will see one National Theatre production tour annually direct from its London run with its original cast, … (to) 12 venues across England,” among them venues in Sheffield, Coventry, Salford/Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Newcastle. - WhatsOnStage (UK)
One study found that the best predictor of whether someone could imitate a new accent was being able to execute a tongue-twister. A good ear for music and openness to new experiences also correlate with skill at accents. - BBC
Maybe these two weren’t wildcatters or captains of industry, but their contributions to the cultural life of Houston and its global reputation as a destination for the arts are significant. - Texas Monthly
“I think the public’s relationship with dance has changed, to the point where for the generation coming up, dance is associated more heavily with TikTok than with the Royal Ballet. I think that is what has really opened up the doors and taken away the stigma.” - The Guardian
This previously undisclosed diplomatic push to keep Israel in Eurovision was just one aspect of a drama that unfolded over the past year around the world’s most watched cultural event. - The New York Times
