This article on why the Times delayed reporting the birth Beyonce’s twins, while mocking the ‘media frenzy’ around it….
In a situation this sensitive, was it in bad taste to publish a lighthearted article about the rumors? Was it ethical?…
It’s crucial for us to remember that when a story is published by The Times it becomes part of the historical record, so giving in to the knee-jerk impulse to go for the clicks or be part of the conversation is unwise.
Read on here, if your sense of irony is strong enough.
Mason Poole/Parkwood Entertainment
The cultural commentator Antoine Perraud has compared the hiring of Putin-puppet Valery Gergiev on Bastille Day to Radio France’s past error in favouring Herbert von Karajan who conducted in Paris under Nazi occupation.
The full article is pay-walled, but this gives the general gist:
En confiant, pour le traditionnel concert du Champ-de-Mars, l’Orchestre national de France au grand chef Valery Gergiev, salaud politique au sens sartrien du terme, le service public verse dans la bassesse, au nom du panem et circenses…
Pour ce 14-Juillet 2017, Radio France – dans le rôle du grand… « crétinstitutionnel » ! – justifie l’injustifiable par la voix de son président, Mathieu Gallet : « Valery Gergiev est un des plus grands chefs d’orchestre. C’est un immense honneur qu’il nous fait de venir diriger les musiciens le soir de notre fête nationale. Je ne veux pas commenter les choix qu’il peut faire au niveau politique. Il ne s’agit que de musique ce soir-là. Sa stature et sa renommée médiatique sont une chance pour nous puisque cela permet au plus grand nombre d’écouter de la musique classique à une heure de grande écoute. Le Concert de Paris est devenu un vrai rendez-vous avec le grand public. »
Traduction : on a réussi un sacré coup de pub pour en mettre plein la vue des gogos et gonfler l’audimat avec une bête de scène qui va rapporter gros. Contexte : ce « Concert de Paris du 14 juillet » est diffusé en direct sur France Inter, France 2 puis, en différé, sur CultureBox.
San Francisco Opera is holding an audition on July 31 for adult extras to appear in Elektra, Manon and the new John Adams opera next season. Auditions start at 6 p.m. at the War Memorial Opera House.
No previous experience required, it says, and you don’t get asked to sing.
The catch? You don’t get paid, either.
Email supers@sfopera.com for more info.
Could this be you?
Decca Gold, Universal’s US classical label, has signed the American countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo.
His debut album, released late 2018, will consist of arias by George Frideric Handel and Philip Glass. Both will be accompanied by Les Violons du Roy, conductor Jonathan Cohen.
The German-based pianist Igor Levit made clear his views on European unity by playing Liszt’s transcription of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy – which serves as the EU anthem – as his encore on the first night of the Proms.
It was an intentional political statement. Igor also wore an EU pin in his lapel.
The BBC called the encore ‘unexpected’.
Summer visitors turning up at the home base of Italian opera are being asked politely to respect the dress code.
If they show up in shorts and flip-flops, ushers direct them to a nearby H&M to buy shoes and trousers before they are allowed to enter the auditorium.
Quite right, too.
More here.
The Anglo-Greek pianist Marianna Kapsetaki has published a paper at Imperial College, London showing a high incidence of eating disorders among musicians.
Our screening tools for EDs showed a high prevalence of EDs in musicians: the EDE-Q Global Score (EDE-QGS) showed pathological values in 18.66% of the musicians and when questioned about lifetime prevalence, 32.3% of the musicians answered positively.
In other words, at some point in their lives one in three musicians have an eating disorder.
The risk factors, according to Dr Kapsetaki, are: increased perfectionism, depression, anxiety and stress due to the demands of their job.
You can access the paper here.
Dr Kapsetaki, a qualified MD, is currently studying for a PhD in neuroscience at Imperial’s Department of Medicine. She tours as a piano duo (pictured) with her sister, Stephanie.
EDs are a suppressed topic among musicians. Last summer where, after a recital by a major award-winner, I was told that two gastric surgeons came forward from the audience to offer her immediate band surgery.
