Our admittedly snarky tweet last week, commenting on the sudden arrival of an opera by none other than Kanye West, was more a reaction to his recent interview with Joel Osteen than anything else. Be warned: self-identify as the greatest artist ever, and we’re likely to respond. News flash: Opera's long drought of sizable egos … Read more
The week rarely arrives in sonata form… but we could still use a good recap. Bravos! You never know where your voice may take you, and longtime Lister / singer-songwriter Amy Engelhardt can testify to that better than most. The sopralto was picked to lead a loquacious group of nuns to promote the Amazon adaptation … Read more
Welcome to our new weekly feature! The week rarely arrives in sonata form, but we could all still use a good recap. Here goes… New releases A new album is available from Voxfire, the powerhouse vocal trio combining the superb talents of Samela Aird Beasom, Christen Herman and Susan Judy. Check out the group’s new … Read more
Sadly, the iconic Samuel French bookstore in Hollywood will close on March 31. (See UPDATE at the end.) While the publisher, which has long one of the providers of plays, scripts, libretti and more for producers and performers in the area, is closing their storefront on Sunset Boulevard, their website will remain available for online … Read more
Could it be true? The streaming of classical tuneage is on its way up. After the miserable failures of Pandora, Spotify and other major streaming services to properly curate and deliver classical music in a meaningful and useful way, a Berlin-based service called IDAGIO is changing the game, and is finally available in the US … Read more
With so many changes in US policy, the arts are particularly affected by conflicts surrounding visas, immigration law and the difficulties that come with a very diverse performing community. You may have been born here, but some of your most valued colleagues may be having trouble staying and working here. Want to bring in an … Read more
Whether you’re vacationing, preparing for the new school year or just getting through the summer heat, this is a very good time of year to bone up on what’s going on in the arts world. Take a look at what you’re reading the rest of the year, too: does your Feedly list need an update? … Read more
It’s been a dramatic week for the arts and humanities across the country, of course, and for all the calls to action, you may somehow have missed the news that LA Phil’s intrepid prez/CEO, Deborah Borda, will soon leave SoCal to return to her post with the NY Philharmonic. This isn’t entirely a surprise, of … Read more
In refined circles, religion and politics are the two things you should never discuss. And as much as our own culture is changing, classical music still likes to be perceived as refined. But this blog will not be abiding by that rule. So much for etiquette. Due to the current political crisis in the US and with … Read more
Change is everywhere, and opinions abound. While we respect the right of every Lister to form their own political opinions, an open mind and a hard look at the impact of the new president and his claque on the arts is essential to our existence as creators, watchdogs and guardians of creative traditions. We’ve talked about … Read more
