Yale grad Stephen A. Schwarzman has given his alma mater $150 million ‘to create a world-class, state-of-the-art campus center by renovating the historic Commons and Memorial Hall’.
Nice.
Schwarzman, a former chair of the Kennedy Center in Washington, has retained Michael Kaiser, ex-prez of the Kennedy Center, to advise Yale on the renovation, programming, and staffing for the center.
Kind.
Gary Burgett who, with his brother Kirk, revived the historic American piano company of Mason & Hamlin, has died in a freak home accident. According to the pianist Ernest So, he had just prepared a salad lunch when he fell down some stairs and hit his head. Gary was 65.
The Spanish soprano, 82, should have appeared in a Barcelona court this morning to settle her tax-fraud case. It would have cost her half a million Euros in exchange for a Get out of Jail card.
But, divas being divas, she appears to have backed out of the deal. Her lawyer dropped her two days ago and the judge this morning ordered her to appoint a new one or face penalties.
No-one apparently knows where she is, but she is known to be in frail health. More here.
Regula Rapp, who was due to become Rector of the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien in October, has withdrawn from the post. Dr Rapp, 53, said the legitimacy of her appointment was ‘too precarious’.
There has been opposition to a woman taking the post – for the first time – and huge payoffs were being demanded by other faculty members.
Vienna never changes.
See also here.
The orchestra’s management has put the best face possible on yesterday’s calamitous indecision, claiming it as a triumph for democracy and stating that ‘the mood during the assembly was described by all participants as very constructive, cooperative and friendly.’
In the cold light of day, the damage can be swiftly assessed.
1 Imagine the board of Bayern München emerging from an 11-hour meeting, unable to choose a new manager. The sporting world would conclude that the board was deeply divided, ill-advised and unbusinesslike. For Bayern, read Berlin Phil.
2 Several faultlines have appeared in the orchestra: between Thielemann supporters and opponents, between Rattle loyalists and sceptics, between veteran players and newcomers. They will not be readily resolved.
3 Music director candidates who spent yesterday waiting for a phone call may declare themselves unavailable by December. Nobody likes being passed over, or considered second-best.
4 The uncertainty that came to light in yesterday’s discussion weakens the orchestra’s bold image.
5 At least four leading candidates told the Berlin Philharmonic they were not interested, at least for the moment. That has never happened before. The blow to confidence will take a while to sink in.
