Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The underlying message of the protocol is, in essence: "Curb your enthusiasm. Don't get too excited." Should we be surprised that people aren't as excited about classical music as they used to be? This question of etiquette is only part of the complicated social dilemma in which classical music finds itself. But I do wonder about the long-term effect of the No Applause Rule, as I wonder about other oddities of concert life: the vaguely Edwardian costumes, the convention-centre lighting schemes, the aggressive affectlessness of many professional musicians.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Vancouver Opera made a bold decision to launch a new, lavish production of John Adams’s opera Nixon in China. The Canadian premiere would coincide with the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, playing off those global events and taking advantage of an international audience. Such an exciting venture would no doubt attract another opera company to partner in the production, which would provide much-needed help with resources. That was in early 2008.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In showbiz, timing is everything. It could hardly be a coincidence that the morning after Oscar season mercifully came to a close, Variety laid off its two best-known critics, longtime chief film critic Todd McCarthy and chief theater critic David Rooney. According to Variety president Neil Stiles, the firings were an "economic reality."

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

North Shore Music Theatre will reopen its doors this summer and fall to offer a slate of time-tested musicals. The Beverly institution, which closed last year after accumulating $10 million in debt, returns under new ownership.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

People cut the fat in tough times, often spelling doom for arts groups that rely on donations to survive, but Tarrant County groups and organizations have managed to hold on despite difficult times. Arts, culture and humanities organizations received an estimated $12.79 billion in 2008, about 4 percent of the $307.65 billion in total charitable donations, according to GivingUSA 2009. While 2008 was the second year in a row in which giving exceeded $300 billion, arts, culture and humanities contributions experienced a 6.4 percent drop year-over-year.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

New York City Opera, operating with a slender financial cushion, announced plans on Tuesday for another stripped down, five-production season but said it would add a series of concert performances.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

What does it take to create an opera and get it on stage? Evan Mack is a composer and pianist living in Charleston, WV, who was interviewed on Classically Speaking in May 2009. He is currently in the process of having his opera Angel of the Amazon produced, and he will be writing here about the experience, from his first inspiration through the opera being staged.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Todd McCarthy, Variety’s chief film critic, and David Rooney, its chief theater critic, lost their jobs on Monday amid a broad reorganization and staff cuts at the entertainment industry trade paper.

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

As part of the Arts Advocacy Day activities in April, the Honorable Joseph P. Riley, Jr. will be giving the Nancy Hanks Lecture at the Kennedy Center. Held on Monday, April 12, Riley is the mayor of Charleston, South Carolina and is considered a leader in the field of urban design. In 2009, he received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama and is the founder of the Mayor’s Institute on City Design. The Nancy Hanks Lecture is free and seating is limited.

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A hawk, an opera singer and arts advocates filled the Legislative Office Building's Van Buren Hearing Room on Feb. 23, asking members of the Legislature to continue supporting state arts grants to the tune of $41.6 million.