On October 1, 2013, the 70-year-old New York City Opera (NYCO) canceled its 2013-2014 season and announced its disbandment. Faced with crushing financial problems, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing its inability to raise sufficient funds to continue operating. The NYCO’s endowment shriveled from $48 million in 2008 to $5.07 million by the end of 2012. In a…
The political activist side of John Lennon seems to have been largely dismissed or forgotten by the general public, and corporate media reports on the anniversary of his murder are not likely to mention anything more controversial than Beatlemania. Obviously Lennon had an enormous impact upon my generation, setting us free with the primal rhythms and energy of rebellious rock…
The prehistoric stone circle monument at Stonehenge was constructed over 5000 years ago in Neolithic Briton. It was constructed in phases from 3100 BC to around 1600 BC. Who built it and why remains an enigma. Another mystery is, why did a duo of deranged eco-extremists from Just Stop Oil attack Stonehenge on June 19, 2024? At around 11:00 am,…
[Bedroom Scene #4. Eric Fischl 2004. Oil on Linen. ] There seems to be an upsurge of interest in painting these days, but let’s be clear – what type of painting and to what end? Artist Eric Fischl gave a lecture at the University of Pennsylvania on April 11th, titled, The Death of Painting from van Gogh to Chris Burden….
There’s an old adage that goes, “First they break your legs, and then they want thanks for giving you crutches.” New York City’s, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum has mounted an exhibit that adheres to that truism. Dedicated exclusively to historic and contemporary design, Cooper-Hewitt’s exhibition, Design for the Other 90 %, is the museum’s presentation of innovative tools allegedly created…
It took Israeli director Ari Folman four years to create Waltz with Bashir, an unusual autobiographical animated film now in limited engagement across the U.S. that warns of the nightmares that follow in the wake of war. The movie opens with an unsettling vision, a pack of rabid dogs – twenty six to be exact, racing along wet streets under…
