As artists become more politically active today, it is worth remembering that John Reed Clubs and New York’s Artists Union organized strikes to negotiate federal arts programs during the Great Depression. The art made in each phase of proletarian advancement thus serves to protect this history. - Hyperallergic
While commonalities certainly exist the differences were astounding. How could it be that Rossini’s humorous comic operas, which have been bringing laughter and joy to western audiences for almost 200 years, were seen by our Kho and Kalash participants to convey less happiness than 1980s speed metal? - The Conversation
Beverly, Madison, and Eston Hemings seem to have inherited musical talent from both their mother and their enslaver/father, Thomas Jefferson, a lifelong violinist. The brothers and their cousins (descended from Sally's sister) formed a very popular dance band that lasted for several generations. - Early Music America
The book, “The Adventures of Dillon Helbig’s Crismis” by the author “Dillon His Self,” had drawn so much attention by the end of January that 56 people were on the waiting list to check it out, said Alex Hartman, the manager of the library branch. - The New York Times
It wasn't hard to identify Filippo Bernardini once the FBI got involved; he didn't cover his email tracks very well. But none of the unpublished work he stole ever appeared on the black market, where it would have been nearly worthless anyway. So what was his motivation? - The New Republic
“After two years scanning covid charts, we’re doing the same with natural gas prices as the curve rises, with the life and death of Murano hanging in the balance,” said Andrea Della Valentina of the Seguso Gianni factory. - Washington Post
It's not easy to do this, since people come from all over the world to see the classics, but the Florence museum's dynamic director, Eike Schmidt, is working to "get the dust off" and exhibit new art in dialogue with the old. - The New York Times
Anne Archer shooting Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Julia Roberts dancing with Rupert Everett to end My Best Friend's Wedding. The freeway dance that opens La La Land. All there thanks to test audiences. And that Kevin Costner baseball movie nearly went out under the title Shoeless Joe. - BBC
Can you prove you’re not in a simulation? You might think you have definitive evidence that you’re not. I think that’s impossible, because any such evidence could be simulated. - Nautilus
Arthur Brooks: Engaging with art after worrying over the minutiae of your routine is like looking at the horizon after you’ve spent too long staring intently at a particular object: Your perception of the outside world expands. - The Atlantic
Back in 2003, journalist Mark Harris had been going to write a book about the film and its process; now, as Shortbus is being reissued, he's revisited his notebooks. "This is going to be complicated. BOUNDARIES." - New York Magazine
"For decades, Barenboim and the Staatskapelle shared common interests. Now, 'til death do us part' has become a burden. Complicating the dynamics of this stagnant marriage is a third party: Berlin's Culture Department, … (seemingly) unable to intervene in the quagmire at the Staatsoper." - Van
The exodus of two-thirds of both administrative staff and board members — culminating in the resignation of music director Thomas Dausgaard — since the arrival of CEO Krishna Thiagarajan just over three years ago indicates a problem. What's happening now is not how a healthy organization would handle things. - Post Alley (Seattle)
The “immersive entertainment” industry, which includes nondigital experiences such as escape rooms and other content in which the participant feels a sense of presence in an artificial environment, is large and growing, spanning contexts such as live events, arts performances, and museums. - Jacobin
The Orquesta Sinfónica Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho in Caracas is already the country's least conventional symphonic ensemble: they frequently perform in the barrios and regularly explore fusion with Afro-Caribbean music. Their most recent project, Sinfonía Desordenada (Disorderly Symphony), turned out to be, er, aptly named. - National Geographic
A digital drug for anyone with a phone, and especially young people, the TikTok app uses random reinforcement — similar to a slot machine on the Las Vegas strip — to keep users scrolling. It has changed the way Americans tell and view stories. - Salon
Says dancer/choreographer JaQuel Knight, who founded Knight Choreography and Music Publishing Inc. to address the issue, "Over the past year and a half, so many of the biggest records were directly tied to TikTok dances. Those songs made millions. And the creators of the dances received zero." - Dance Magazine
