It was said to be the only reliably punctual thing in all of Italy: performances at Milan’s opera house start precisely at the scheduled curtain time, with no latecomers admitted until the first interval. That has now changed, and La Scala’s superintendent says it’s to protect his staff from physical harm.
San Francisco Gets To Keep The Bay Bridge Light Sculpture
“After a two-month campaign, the nonprofit Illuminate the Arts announced Wednesday that it had raised the needed $4 million to reinstall the Lights permanent fixture on the western end of the bridge.”
Hollywood’s Other North Korea-Themed Project Just Got Canned
“New Regency has ditched plans to produce Pyongyang, a paranoid thriller starring Steve Carell that was to be set in North Korea. … New Regency is 20% owned by News Corp., parent of 20th Century Fox. The studio had indicated to New Regency that it would not release the project.”
Why John Waters Is a National Treasure (By Jerry Saltz)
“No one gets the cross-section of showbiz and fandom like him. In giving us these extraordinarily particular individuals and distinct visages – both psychological and visual – Waters gets you to know in your bones that the more we are part of a vast crowd of people who idolize someone or something, the more alone and special we feel in our idolization.” (includes slide show of Waters’s art)
$10 Million Of Art Stolen In One Of America’s Biggest Art Heists Is Recovered In LA
“After an undercover operation at a West Los Angeles hotel in October, federal authorities detained Raul Espinoza, 45, who tried to sell the paintings — which are valued at $10 million — for $700,000 cash. The nine works recovered were among the dozen stolen from an Encino home on the morning of Aug. 24, 2008.”
Lawsuit Over California’s Artist Resale Royalty Payments Nears Decision
“Payments are supposed to be made to any artist who is an American citizen or who is a California resident — if his or her work is being sold by a California owner, regardless where in the United States the sale occurs. The royalty right extends 20 years after an artist’s death.”
No Prosecutions Over West End Theatre Ceiling Collapse
“A council investigation found the collapse happened because of the age of the roof, which dates back to the theatre’s original construction in 1901, and no laws had been broken. … The accident at the Apollo Theatre last December left 88 people injured when plaster fell from the roof … during a performance of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.”
Theatre Is Definitely Not “A White Invention,” Says UK Culture Minister
Responding to actress Janet Suzman’s controversial comments of last week, Ed Vaizey said, “Every community has a tradition of performance and theatre so I wouldn’t agree with those comments. … If you talk to the black, Asian and ethnic minority community, the frustration is they feel this conversation has been going on for 30 years, and nothing has changed. I have a lot of sympathy for that.”
What We Actually Know So Far About Sony, “The Interview” And North Korea
Here’s a rundown of what is and isn’t certain, who is affected, and how.
Worrying About Stuff May Be A Sign Of Intelligence (Your Mother Is Totally Vindicated)
“Correlation doesn’t imply causation, of course, but this is not the first paper to have found a link between anxiety and intelligence. On the other hand, Penney and his colleagues also found an interesting association in the other direction: The more respondents said they replayed past events over in their minds, the lower they ranked on non-verbal intelligence.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 12.17.14
More on That Indy Admission Fee
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Three (+) Cultures
AJBlog: Engaging Matters Published 2014-12-17
Dreams and Journeys, Destination Uncertain
AJBlog: Dancebeat Published 2014-12-17
Portland’s Master Works: Looking Back And Forward
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts Published 2014-12-17
Les Paul Over The Rainbow
AJBlog: RiffTides Published 2014-12-16
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Sony Cancels “The Interview” Release After American Movie Chains Refuse To Show It
“On Wednesday afternoon, AMC Theaters, citing “the overall confusion and uncertainty” around the film, joined Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark and Regal Entertainment in dropping the film. Together, those exhibitors control more than 19,200 screens across the United States. Smaller American chains and Canada’s Cineplex Entertainment also canceled the film.”
How Online Is Powering The Art Market
“Far from competing with physical fairs such as Art Basel, digital and social media have become an integral part of the event. In addition to 73,000 visitors, Art Basel Miami has 300,000 Facebook followers, 150,000 Twitter followers and 100,000 on Instagram.”
The Frick Museum Has Been Evolving Since It Was Created (So Maybe A Little Historical Perspective Is In Order?)
“Past behaviors offer little guidance when deciding what and what not to keep. Change is messy; preservation must be balanced against needs, but also against quality of experience.”
Oldest Surviving Example Of Polyphonic Music Discovered By Chance In British Library
“The scrap of music, which would have lasted no more than a few seconds, was written on the bottom of a page of a portrait of a saint and has been dated to around AD900. Although there are very early treatises on such music, the discovery is the earliest practical example intended for use by singers.”
Sony Hackers Threaten Theaters That Show Kim Jong-Un Spoof “The Interview”
“The threat was made in rambling emails sent to various news outlets Tuesday morning. [One] said, in part: ‘Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.)'” Both cinema chains and the studio are in a difficult position, and the New York premiere has already been cancelled.
Norman Bridwell, Author Of “Clifford The Big Red Dog” Books, Dead At 86
“To hear Norman Bridwell tell the story – and hundreds of millions of children around the world have read his tales for more than 50 years – Clifford the Big Red Dog almost never came to be.”
Andrew Litton Named Music Director Of New York City Ballet
“It is unusual for a symphony conductor of Mr. Litton’s stature to decide to lead a ballet company ensemble: He is the music director of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway, and was formerly music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.”