The dignity of ballerina Natalia Makarova 9
I was struck by a passage in Natalia Makarova‘s biography, “A Dance Autobiography,” (Knopf, 1979) edited by Robert Gottlieb (“What did ballet ever do to deserve this?”) when he was editor-in-chief at the New York publishing house. The text recalls an indignity Makarova suffered at the Kirov Ballet soon before she defected to the West ...
Ronni Chasen’s restaurant renaming
Gaining her first p.r. experience by promoting her brother Larry’s blaxploitation movies, Ronni Chasen soon joined the renowned entertainment publicity firm, Rogers & Cowan. The powerful p.r. macher, Warren Cowan, became the young woman’s mentor, and by some accounts, her lover. Urban legend has it that early in their ten-year working relationship, Cowan took his ...
Jack Cole’s top ten list 3
Film zany Michael Schlesinger enjoyed ribbing me with this ‘top-ten list’ he conjured for arts•meme: Top ten things choreographer Jack Cole liked about Christmas 10) Holiday spectaculars at Radio City Music Hall — boy, can them Rockettes kick or what? 9) People telling me how much they love “The Christmas Song.” (Oh, wait, sorry, that’s ...
Bird watching
New York dance critic Elizabeth Zimmer contributes this review to arts•meme: BLACK SWAN aced its opening weekend, albeit one of the slowest box-office weekends of the year; The New York Times on December 6 reported that in the art-house category, playing at only 18 theaters, it grossed $1.4 million, a record for Fox Searchlight, which released it. The ...
Sugarplum heart attack
arts•meme thanks Lou Beach Like Pytor Illych? I love him. Read more: Ken Russell & Dr. Kildare tackle Tchaikovsky
Cunningham “Legacy Tour” enters final year in 2011
Dec
20
2010
In one year’s time, New Year’s Eve 2011/12, Merce Cunningham Dance Company will close for business. Try to see the company in the next year. You will not regret it. Here are some upcoming dates … January 14-15, 2011 Grand Theater Hong Kong Cultural Center Hong Kong Nearly 90² Click here for more information February ...
Beato photography reveals beauty & brutality of the East-West encounter
Dec
19
2010
Photographs by Felice Beato (1832–1909), an Italian-born rolling stone who roamed Asia in the latter half of the 19th century, are on view in a worthwhile exhibit at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Using his cumbersome camera and his good eye, Beato delivered to the West some of the first photo images of Asia’s exotic ...
Barak Marshall’s “Rooster” cock of the walk 3
Dec
18
2010
BREAKING NEWS, JAN 16, 2011: “Rooster” garners first prize in the Los Angeles “A.W.A.R.D.” show for Barak Marshall and BODYTRAFFIC. Read more in the Los Angeles Times Culture Monster blog. Meanwhile, here’s a prior review from December… * * * * * “Black Swan” got you down? Then check out Barak Marshall’s “ROOSTER” — a ...
Glendale’s Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, dies
Fine artist represented by Michael Werner gallery, New York & Köln. Van Vliet’s irrepressible California creativity captured in New York Times obituary — must reading. photo: anton corbijn
Satchmo blesses Herb Alpert with Blessing trumpet
Dec
17
2010
On November 10 the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation presented the first “Satchmo Award” to recording legend Herb Alpert. The award was presented to Alpert at the Newark Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey, during a WBGO jazz-radio gala. Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater acted as master of ceremonies. The Satchmo award recognizes Alpert”s contributions to ...