Welcome to What/If Arts
July 27, 2024 Here goes something...
What I'm Writing
Since June, I've been working on a story about #MeToo 2.0 in classical music. There's a lot of reporting involved and not a lot of money, but it's important to highlight the work women have been doing ever since New York magazine published its account of an alleged rape cover-up at the New York Philharmonic. Making classical music a safer place for women (and other underrepresented people) in classical music isn't easy, and neither is reporting on those efforts. Case in point: I got a text from a lawyer at 10:48 p.m. on a Saturday night. Hoping this one will be online and sharable soon.
Thankfully, my other July bylines are a good news dance story and a feel-good musical review. Bravo to Ballet BC on reviewing its largest philanthropic gift ever, and giving the $ straight to dancers, and to Olney Theatre for mounting a solid production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
What I'm Reading
New York Times staffer Javier C. Hernández was in my hometown of Baltimore recently to catch up with Baltimore Symphony music director Jonathon Heyward. I was particularly struck by this quote from Maryland governor Wes Moore:
“He was very clear and very intentional that he was creating music for the world, that he was creating music for every community, and that he wanted to be part of that community,” Moore said. “It takes a special soul to be able to embrace that.”
OK. 1. It is awesome that Moore was willing to weigh in. But 2. Did the governor just diss Marin Alsop? Because, um, yikes. Alsop did some pretty great music-for-every-community stuff in Baltimore, particularly with OrchKids, her program expanding music education, and her pops programming, which was always better than whatever schlock the NSO was offering for the not-into-Beethoven set. My guess, and it's just a guess, is that Moore is better versed on the Key Bridge than the BSO.
What I'm Watching
The Empress. Season 1 of Netflix's Austrian costume drama about the young Elisabeth von Wittelsbach features fun cameos by Romantic composers. "Look over there! It's Franz Liszt!" Elisabeth hollers (auf Deutsch) at her wedding, when she's attempting to ditch her annoying entourage of ladies in waiting. They scream and scurry away in search of the 19th-century Hungarian heartthrob. She is free, and I'm sold on this show.
And of course, I watched the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, which brings me to this week's Ifs...
If I Could Write Anything
Easy. A searing op-ed about the most banal ménage à trios in American broadcasting history: Kelly Clarkson, Peyton Manning and Mike Tirico covering the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics, and the lack of credit given to all the artists involved. Some choice lines from Kelly...
"I love how their cultures come out in what they are wearing. That's so beautiful!" (Describing Team Mongolia's uniforms)
"That is so cool!" (Frequent choice of words to describe many things.)
"I feel like I'm watching a movie! It's so cinematic!" (Describing the scene on the Seine when a mechanical horse game galloping down the river)
Said my dear gay BFF who came over to watch, "Clearly this Olympic broadcast is highlighting America's #1 export: Over-the-top vapidity."
C'est vrai.
If I Could See Anything
I'd have been in Paris. But going to have to settle for a trip to Quebec next week. If all goes as planned I'll be at the Festival Arts Saint-Sauveur, and will report back on the premiere of Burn Baby, Burn, a new modern dance take on climate change.
