Society

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Operatic Disasters II
One of the biggest dangers to the wellbeing of operatic theatres throughout history has been fire! As one critic rightly said, “Scenery, stucco, seats and curtains were all highly inflammable. Add to those the wooden structure of the building and
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Beethoven in China: The Beginnings
The Chinese Buddhist monk Li Shutong—also known by a variety of other names—was a master painter, dramatist, calligrapher, poet, and musician. Born in Tianjin and educated in Shanghai, he went to Japan in 1905 and studied at the Tokyo School
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Operatic Disasters I
We all remember that horrible night in 1996, when the Venetian opera house “La Fenice” was destroyed and gutted by fire. What at first looked like an innocent accident soon turned out to be a mindless case of arson! Enrico
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Ondes Martenot: Mystical Waves
The history of early electronic musical instruments is filled with evocative and colorful names. We find the Telharmonium (1897), Theremin (1919), Spharophon (1924), Electronde (1933), Trautonium (1930), Mellertion (1933), and the Ondes Martenot (1928). All these early synthesizers make use
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A Symphony Orchestra in Bombay
This September, the Symphony Orchestra of India, India’s only professional orchestra, is ten years old and will present a special anniversary season of canonic orchestral works at the orchestra’s home, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) on the
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Music at the Nazi Games of 1936
The association of the Berlin Games with the Third Reich severely tainted the Olympische Hymne by Richard Strauss, even though the commission for the hymn did not come from the National Socialists but from the International Olympic Committee.
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Miami Sets a Precedent with New World Symphony
Miami, Florida conjures pristine beaches, blue skies, steamy air, trendsetting nightlife and Cuban food. But there is more to Miami than that—classical music! Take in high-quality performances by The New World Symphony at their stunning concert venue New World Center
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When Music meets Business: Leadership and Communication with Marc-Antoine Hamet
The worlds of business and arts rarely meet. But both worlds have things to teach the other, and in recent years there’s been a growing trend for collaboration and discussion about aspects of life and work common to people working
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