Results tagged “newyorkphilharmonic”

Sure, the State Department cleared the NY Philharmonic to go to Cuba next month, but the donors who helped fund that trip weren't allowed, so it's all off! The Philharmonic said, "We have been told by officials at the Treasury Department that the current regulations governing travel to Cuba does not provide for this particular category of people"—rich patrons of the arts—"Without (their) support, this trip is not financially possible."

As mentioned earlier this week, last night an unplanned Battle of the Bands took place between the Brooklyn and New York Philharmonics, both playing Central Park with just 30 minutes between their starting times. Who won? The above photo of the Brooklyn Philharmonic was taken at 8:10 p.m., about 40 minutes after they went on. The below photo of the New York Philharmonic was taken at 9:05 p.m., about 55 minutes after they went on.

Tomorrow evening, while the Brooklyn Philharmonic plays the Central Park Naumburg Bandshell...the New York Philharmonic will be performing at the Central Park Great Lawn. According to those involved, the coincidence is a surprise, but a good way to check out both symphonies in one evening. The unofficial "battle of the bands" is open to the public and free, with Brooklyn starting at 7:30 p.m. and New York at 8 p.m.

Although the proposed redesign to Governors Island won’t be finished until at least 2013, the island’s administrators are coming up with plenty of reasons to pay a visit today. Starting May 31st, the island, which has expansive parks, a full-circle bike path, former military bases and a spectacular view of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, will be open on more days and for longer hours than ever before. And the calendar of concerts and events is said to be expanding.

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s historic concert in North Korea concluded hours ago, marking the first performance by an American orchestra in the impoverished, totalitarian nation. The event also marked a first for much of the press, who are routinely denied access to North Korea and, once inside, usually find their movements tightly controlled. The Times has a stunning slideshow of photos snapped en route from the airport to the center of Pyongyang, something the photographer says is never permitted.

Part of the NBC 2.0 philosophy has been to put cheap programming on air as a measure to cut corners and save money. Even before the writers' strike this has meant a string of programs that are “unscripted,” such as cheesy game shows and of course the requisite fakeality nonsense. So taking quarterlife, a Web 2.0 based online show/online community from the creators of thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once and Again, and sticking it on TV doesn’t seem like a big stretch.

Law & Order is back for its eighteenth season and it is back in its traditional home of Wednesday at 10 p.m., although this week we get two hours starting at 9 p.m. and thanks to a stockpile of scripts written ahead of the writers strike, we can expect oodles of new episodes into the spring. Also thanks to the WGA strike, it will be the best thing on television for the for the foreseeable future.

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a burn victim on East 3rd St. and Beverly Rd. in Brooklyn, a shooting on Francis Lewis Blvd. in Queens, and a burn victim on 103rd St. and Park Ave. in Manhattan. Reps for the New York Philharmonic are investigating a planned appearance of the symphony in North Korea. Those excited by news of a George Clooney sighting in Brooklyn Heights yesterday can just go ahead and get giddy...

Not only is this a hooky idea, it's a classy hooky idea. As a way to celebrate its 166th opening day, the New York Philharmonic is opening its morning dress rehearsal up to the public for free. Here are the details:

9:45AM: FREE Dress Rehearsal. Conducted by Lorin Maazel, with cello virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma; free tickets (along with discount coupons for future Philharmonic performances) will be distributed beginning at 8:00AM as the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet serenades you.

Ooh. The website says the free dress rehearsal is a gift from the orchestra and its global sponsor Credit Suisse. The concert is an all-Dvorak program, and tomorrow night is the gala benefit, complete with black-tie event before the concert. For people who don't have tickets, you can still head to Lincoln Center and enjoy the concert, because at 7:30PM, the concert will be projected onto a screen on the plaza (Plaza-cast) for free, with chairs first-come, first-serve.

A look at some noteworthy television this week:

Customizing your wedding is standard these days, and wedding planning businesses aren't the only ones who are benefiting. There's been a boom in people applying online to be ordained to officiate friends' and families' weddings. But there's an unexpected catch: Sometimes those Universal Life Church ordinations aren't legal in the county or state where the wedding is being performed!

There's a nice story this weekend about a woman who spent 31 years as a cellist with the New York Philharmonic. She will leave the country's oldest orchestra after a September 14th performance, but one could hardly say she is retiring. Nancy Donaruma split her time the last few years between the Philharmonic and classes at an upstate college so she could become a full-time paramedic. She will be working near her home in Poughkeepsie, about 70 miles north of New York City.

THEATER: System of Units, a performance group from Siberia, begin their site-specific collaboration with the local “interventionist performance group” TRYST outside today starting at 12:00pm, when the temperature will transcend 90°. So if you think it’s stinking hot, just wait ‘til you see how the Siberians hold up in this six-hour performance. Called Security Zone, the two groups will create "a mock construction site that plays with perceptions of labor and public space, expectations of daily interactions, and attitudes toward leisure and work.” (Part of the excellent Sitelines series.) - John Del Signore

Arturo Toscanini's (pictured with Puccini), "maestro di maestri of music", was not only known for his photographic memory and mastery of music - he was also an avid collector of art. The 50th anniversary of his death is approaching, and with it - his private collection of art is on display in an exhibit called "Maestro's Secret Music".

A look at some noteworthy (and mainly regifted) programs this week:

READING: The New School's wonderful public lectures and reading series are back in swing as the school year revs up, and tonight, the ethereal Mary Gaitskill will discuss her book (a National Book Award finalist) with moderator Jeffrey Renard Allen. - Krissa Corbett Cavouras

Here at Ask Gothamist HQ, we've received tons of questions about fun summer activities, like the recent question about the New York Philharmonic Outdoor Concert Series.

When is the Philharmonic holding their annual park concerts? Shouldn't that be happening soon?

I am so glad finally to have someone to ask about this! A couple of years ago, when the new 2/3 trains started running, I noticed a peculiar phenomenon: when their brakes release, the trio of squeaks that sounds forms the opening notes of "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" (you'll hear it if you sing "There's a place..."). I'm certain that I'm not imagining this, because when I was standing on a subway platform on the Upper West Side a friend made the same observation. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it an intentional homage on the part of the MTA?

The Grammys are over and the winners now get to calling themselves "Grammy-winning." Remember, so is Christopher Cross (sorry, Christopher Cross, you're just too tempting a punchline). So is a deserving Lauryn Hill, but where are you these days Lauryn? We need you. Norah Jones was the big winner of the night, winning the most prestigious categories, Record, Song, and Album of the Year. Bruce Springsteen represented, winning three, and the Dixie Chicks, Eminem, and Coldplay all won two. Dixie Chicks co-producer Lloyd Maines looks exactly like daughter and lead singer Natalie Maines. Eminem gave a respectful acceptance speech, thanking the MCs who came before him. Coldplay gave an awesome rendition of "Politik" with the New York Philharmonic. But the best performance was "London Calling," the tribute to the late Joe Strummer, with Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and Tony Kanal. There was a lot of making up: Mayor Bloomberg welcoming the Grammys back to New York after Giuliani's squabble with then NARAS head, Michael Greene. The Dixie Chicks pointedly thanked Sony after their contentious earlier fight. Of other interest: Jon Pareles on the many categories of the Grammys; more information about writer of Song of the Year, "Come Away with Me," Jesse Harris; and get thoughts of The Onion A.V. Club, one of the best arts sections around, on the best albums of 2001 and 2002, many of them ones that Grammys voters have never heard of. Virginia Heffernan called the night repressed, Ken Tucker mourns that the Boss didn't win more.