Opinion
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Dohnányi and Paul Lewis at Chicago Symphony
A Prelude to Tanglewood July 24th
By: - May 05th, 2014The audience and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra worked hard at a dress rehearsal for a program that included the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3. Christoph von Dohnányi is a sought after conductor the world over and it is easy to understand why. Instrumentalists respect and enjoy working with him, even though a flautist in the CSO turned a bright red in the face trying to execute a passage to the Maestro’s taste.
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Degenerate Art in Nazi Germany
The Neue Galerie Mounts an Important Exhibit
By: - Apr 13th, 2014The Nazis seized ‘degenerate art’ from museums and private collections. A three-year traveling exhibition of this art criss-crossed Germany and Austria. Most of the paintings were sold, lost, or presumed destroyed. The recent discovery in Munich of the Gurlitt trove of such artwork has attracted attention. The film "The Monuments Men", directed by George Clooney, is about the seized art. The Neue Galerie mounts a moving exhibit of the work and compares it with some of Hitler's favorite art.
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Liza Minnelli Trashed by John Seven in the Eagle
Pissed that She Didn’t Wear Panties at the Oscars
By: - Mar 04th, 2014Eagle eyed columnist, John Seven, observed that 67-year-old Liza Minnelli didn't wear panties under her blue pantsuit at the Oscars. Seems he never thought much of her anyway. Her mother, Judy Garland, makes him break out in hives. Stating that he never watches the Oscars or even knows what films are nominated he wrote about it anyway. This from the columnist who urges readers to boycott artistic creeps like Woody Allen. It must have sent him to the emergency room that Cate Blanchett won an Oscar for one of Woody's films.
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Art Publisher Steve Zevitas Sounds Off
Venting a Jerry Maguire Moment
By: - Mar 03rd, 2014Steve Zevitas is a Boston gallerist and publisher of the juried magazine New American Painting. Like many in the art world he is constantly on the go making the rounds of biennials and art fairs. Normally he is level headed and reasonable focusing on the artists he publishes and promotes. But he recently vented in a piece in the Huffington Post. He's mad as hell and ain't gonnah take it anymore.
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Alec Baldwin Cries No Mas
Why He Vants to Be Alone
By: - Feb 26th, 2014For decades actor Alec Baldwin has opted to duke it out with paparazzis and the gossip media. Now like Roberto Duran tossing in the towel stating "No Mas" Baldwin, in a screed in New York Magazine titled "I Give Up," is withdrawing from public life. For celebrities of his stature, who have tried it in the past, this is more easily said than done. As Martha and the Vandellas sang "Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide."
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Eagle Columnist John Seven Boycotts Artistic Creeps
Separating Individuals from their Accomplishments
By: - Feb 19th, 2014Dishing the dirt on celebrities has become a billion dollar industry for muckraking supermarket tabloids, talk radio, and TV entertainment and gossip shows. But we were shocked and distressed when Berkshire Eagle columnist John Seven unloaded a mud slinging screed against Woody Allen and other "artistic creeps." Seven seems surprised and offended to realize that great artists are not always great people. Duh.
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Gonzo Chronicles Two
Arthur Yanoff Hipster and Jewish Artist of the Year
By: - Feb 16th, 2014Looking Berkshire hipster and artist Arthur Yanoff in the eye the rabbi told him "Once a Lubavitcher always a Lubavitcher." In part two we move from Coffee Corner to crits with Clement Greenberg and raising dogs in the country. Along the way Yanoff was celebrated as Jewish Artist of the Year. For which he had to rent a tux in Great Borington. Or something like that in no particular order.
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The Gonzo Chronicles
Arthur Yanoff Recalls Coffee Corner
By: - Feb 13th, 2014Arthur Yanoff has had a one man show at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and was named Jewish Artist of the Year. A couple of years ago he and photographer Kay Canavino collaborated on a Melville project for the Ralph Brill Gallery and the author's former home Arrowhead in Pittsfield. We met recently to discuss Boston's Coffee Corner and its rarely documented hipster legacy which was a spawning ground for gonzo.
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February is a Ten in Pittsfield
Mid Winter Festival
By: - Feb 04th, 2014No it ain't Mardi Gras in New Orleans but Pittsfield is giving it a shot. Shake off the funk with the annual city wide Ten by Ten Festival. There's lots to do so bundle up and break out of the cabin.
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Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman at 46
Smacked on Super Sunday
By: - Feb 02nd, 2014Today, as millions of Americans bet the farm on the Super Bowl, in New York, Lady Luck came up snake eyes for renowned actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. He rolled the bones and with the spike still in his arm croaked from a hot shot of smack. After 23 years of staying clean he started using again last May with today's tragic result. We remember and celebrate him as one of the finest actors of his generation.
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The Berkshire Eagle: And Then There Was One
North Adams Transcript Merges and Advocate Folds
By: - Jan 03rd, 2014Given negative trends in media it comes as no surprise that The North Adams Transcript will merge with the Berkshire Eagle as of January 20. The weekly Adovcate, which has been in freefall for the past few years, will cease publication. As a part of the transition the Eagle will exand its weekly arts tabloid insert from summer to year round. Given the importance of the economy based on cultural tourism, and coverage of issues and politics in the still depressed Northern Berkshire County, despite attempts at positive spin this is really bad news.
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When Silence is Golden
Restaurants Serve Rock Concerts with Food
By: - Nov 30th, 2013From restaurants to the mall there is no escaping America's terrible taste in music. In addition to serving food restaurants insist on providing a rock concert. Usually it's the kind of music you go out of your way to avoid. Tell them to turn it down or off.
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Red Sox From Last To First
A Prose Poem for 2013 World Series Win
By: - Nov 02nd, 2013For 12 Seasons, his firm has been a design consultant to the Red Sox. He designed the now part of Boston and MLB history giant American flag unfurled at special times on the Green Monster for crying out loud! During that time, the team has won 3 World Series. Favermann has attended every Opening Day and each of the World Series. Last year was a disaster. The Old Town Team was in last place. No one gave the Sox a chance this year either. This 2013 Fall Classic win was the first at home since 1918 since Babe Ruth was a player. The surprising triumphant march to Major League Baseball dominance left Mark spouting poetry.
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Edmund de Waal Ceramics At Gagosian Gallery
Porcelain Pots Panoply By Author of the Hare With Amber Eyes
By: - Oct 21st, 2013The author of the international bestseller The Hare with the Amber Eyes, ceramicist Edmund de Waal is a puzzle maker. Best known for his large scale installations of porcelain vessels exhibited in many major museums, much of his recent work has been concerned with ideas of collecting and collections. This reflects notions of how objects are kept together, lost, stolen and dispersed. His work comes out of a dialogue between minimalism, architecture and sound, and is informed by his passion for the written word. The issue of this Gagosian Gallery exhibition is what is it about? Is it a statement about de Waal regaining his family's lost wealth, or is it a commentary on consumerism? Just one of the many puzzles by de Waal in his literature and visual art.
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Boston Art, Marathon Bombings, Robert Lowell
Things That Got Me Thinking
By: - Oct 07th, 2013In this think piece the artist Martin Mugar connects some disparate dots. He reflects on "one of my favorite novels , "Voyage au But de la Nuit" by Celine." The tragedy of the Marathon Bombings. The Red Sox. And "I recall a visit years ago to a Boston gallery.The work on display was some overly tense and fastidiously wrought sculpture by Christopher Wilmarth." He concludes with the Robert Lowell poem "For the Union Dead" from 1960.
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Dialogue With Clarence Fanto One
Former Managing Editor of the Berkshire Eagle
By: - Oct 05th, 2013In 1987 Clarence Fanto moved full time to the Berkshires joining the Berkshire Eagle as editor of its then new Sunday edition. He left the paper as its managing editor and several years ago rejoined as a reporter and has now slowed down as a freelancer and columnist. For the past several years he has compiled an annual summary of budgets, attendance and box office revenues of the major Berkshire arts organizations. We got together for lunch to connect the dots. There is no dispute over the accuracy of the data he compiles but we differ on its interpretation. Our occasional meetings and e mails are always lively and this is a chance to listen in.
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When the Throne Becomes Unhinged
Up a Creek Without a Paddle
By: - Oct 01st, 2013Yet again there was an equipment failure with a toilet seat. On our behalf the installer, Roman, e mailed the manufacturer. No shit. The response was incredible. "Each unit is carefully crafted by master toilet seat carpenters in the mountain region of Kakaastan." But wait, it gets better.
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Debate on Global Warming
Greenhouse and Political Gas Emissions
By: - Sep 30th, 2013Heading into the fall season the atmosphere cools while political rhetoric heats up. There are pundits and conservatives who argue against global warming or state that it won't be bad. Our science correspondent argues with the assertions in M. D. Harmon’s piece “New Climate Change Report Rains on Computer Model.â€
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Tanglewood Drops the Ball by 9%
Time to Rethink Mix of Classical and Popular Programming
By: - Sep 04th, 2013For its gala 2012, 75th anniversary Tanglewood logged its third best attendance at 375,776. This year, despite generally favorable weather, attendance declined by 9%. Non classical programming was off by 14% largely attributed to the absence of James Taylor whose three concerts last season sold 54, 385 tickets (minus comps). Even with deep pockets and a broad base of support it has been a year of red ink for Mark Volpe and the BSO. There is no need for panic but it's time to bring in consultants to book non classical programming.
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U.S. House Slashes NEA Budget by Half
Proposes Cut of $71 Million to 1974 Level
By: - Jul 24th, 2013Today, the U.S House of Representatives Interior Appropriations Subcommittee approved its initial FY 2014 funding legislation, which includes a proposed cut of $71 million to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This would bring funding of the NEA down to $75 million, a level not seen since 1974! That's a national arts funding level for a Third World nation.
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National Arts Club Settles with The James Group
Former Director Aldon James and Associates Ousted
By: - Jul 10th, 2013Several years ago, after decades of abuse of authority for the personal gain of its former director O. Aldon James his twin brother and associates, the National Arts Club in New York's Gramercy Park has enjoyed its day in court. James and his associates occupied considerable residential and storage space, filled with trash and flea market items, at below market rates. They have been ordered to pay back $900,000 and vacate their apartments by July 31.
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MoCA Director Joe Thompson on Wilco
Debriefing the Third Solid Sound Festival
By: - Jun 29th, 2013On Saturday of the recent, third Wilco Solid Sound Festival at about 7,800 Mass MoCA set a single day attendance record. While it would be possible to sell a few hundred more tickets Mass MoCA director Joe Thompson insists that for the comfort and quality of the event that's just about capacity. With the sale of some 7,200 tickets, about 10% to Berkshire county residents, the event took in but also spent a lot of money. Given ongoing infrastructure development and expenses Thompson said that the museum will be close to breaking even or making a little after the final tally. But it's a ton of work.
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Opera Thrives in Budapest with Parsifal
The Palace of Arts an Acoustical Masterpiece
By: - Jun 23rd, 2013What pleasure is to be had in Budapest, even as it groans under poverty. From an afternoon at the thermal baths in City Park, just in back of Heroes Square, where water rushes you around in circles in an inner circles, and surprise jets massage your feet, shoulders and back, to a beautfiul performance of Parsifal at the 10-year-old old Palace of the Arts, Budapest is a treat.
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Cold War and Islamic Terrorism
What To Do About It
By: - Jun 16th, 2013Yuri Tuvim is a now retired engineer who emigrated as an adult from the former USSR. He contributes the occasional opinion and travel piece. The views he expresses are not those of the publisher and editors of Berkshire Fine Arts. As a dissident in Moscow he was a close friend of Andrei Sakharov and his wife Yelena Bonner, a former resident of Newton, who danced at Tuvim's wedding.
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Brandeis 50th Reunion
Recalling the Radical Class of 1963
By: - Jun 11th, 2013When we arrived on campus in the fall of 1959 Brandeis University was just eleven years old. As a result of the Holocaust and the black listing of McCarthyism the young university recruited the most radical faculty in America. It graduated renowned activists and revolutionaries in many fields. Then on a par with the best and brightest just what is its academic rank today? I asked President Frederick Lawrence if Brandeis has abandoned its radical legacy devolving to the equivalent of a Jewish Tufts University?. He provided a less than satisfactory response.
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