No images? Click here July 24, 2023 A couple in BC have launched a hunger strike to protest pickleball noise at the park outside their home. They say they would prefer death over pickleball. +++ In this week’s email:
CLASSICAL CHARTS THE BIG IDEA Beethoven's Skull Fragments Return to ViennaImagine discovering pieces of Ludwig van Beethoven's skull in your safety deposit box. That's what happened to U.S. businessman Paul Kaufmann, who recently donated those fragments to a Vienna university. The Details: Kaufmann found the 10 fragments in 1990 inside a small box labelled "Beethoven". The fragments are believed to have been passed down from Kaufmann's great-great-uncle, Dr. Franz Romeo Seligmann, who received them in 1863 after Beethoven's bones were exhumed for study. Two of the pieces are notably larger, from the back of the head and the right side of the forehead. Why it matters: This story is more than just a bizarre slice of history, it's an important step in understanding Beethoven's life and health. The maestro had a series of health problems throughout his life, including a tragic loss of hearing and severe tinnitus. With these skull fragments in the hands of eager researchers, we may get new insights into the health issues that plagued this music legend. And that is the beauty of science meeting history. Who knows what they'll discover next? Zoom out: Just a few months ago, a team spearheaded by Cambridge University had a close look at five strands of Beethoven's hair, sequencing his genome in the process. The results shed light on Beethoven's health issues: not only did he likely have a genetic predisposition to liver disease, but he also endured a bout of hepatitis B just months prior to his demise. His health complications started manifesting as early as 1795 with the onset of hearing loss, a situation that progressively deteriorated. Made worse by a severe case of tinnitus, by 1818, the once vibrant composer was functionally deaf. TOUR DE HEADLINES L-R - Gerald Finley (Dr Atomic/Met Opera); Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer /Universal Pictures) Metropolitan Opera Celebrates ‘Oppenheimer’ with Free ‘Dr. Atomic’ Stream — The Metropolitan Opera is celebrating the opening of “Oppenheimer” by streaming a 2008 production of John Adams’s “Doctor Atomic” for free. The production, which will be available to audiences for free through July 28, stars bass-baritone Gerald Finley as Oppenheimer and mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke as Kitty Oppenheimer. | OperaWire Jeonghwan Kim wins the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition — In a competition decided over four intense concerts with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House this week and an electrifying final session held on Saturday, July 22, Korean pianist Jeonghwan Kim was announced the winner of the Ernest Hutcheson First Prize, receiving $50,000. | Limelight Magazine Oppenheimer soundtrack: who wrote the score and why does the violin play such a prominent role? — One of the darkest chapters in human history arrives on the big screen in ‘Oppenheimer’, and a suspenseful string-infused sound world sucks its audience straight into the action. | ClassicFM San Diego Symphony Delays Copley Hall Reopening — The San Diego Symphony has been forced to delay the re-opening of its home venue, the Copley Symphony Hall — which is currently undergoing a renovation to the tune of $125 million. The orchestra had been planning for the space to open in November 2023, but construction and redesign challenges have meant that this date is no longer viable. | ViolinChannel How Tony Bennett saved his career after drugs nearly killed him — It was 1979, and Bennett was without a recording contract or manager, not performing much outside of Las Vegas, and his marriage was falling apart. When the IRS sought to seize his Los Angeles home after he failed to pay $2 million in taxes, Bennett said he “overindulged” on cocaine and marijuana to the point that he almost overdosed. | Washington Post WATER COOLER Video capture image from Just Stop Oil Climate Activists Interrupt Opening Night of the BBC PromsProtestors from the Just Stop Oil organization have made their way from Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to the BBC Proms’ opening night. What’s going on?: Activists stormed the Royal Albert Hall stage this week in London, holding a banner to draw attention to the climate crisis. The same organization was responsible for throwing a can of soup at Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers painting in 2022. Last month, they also let off glitter cannons and blew air horns during Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites at the UK’s Glyndebourne Festival. Who is Just Stop Oil?: The organization describes itself as a group of “ordinary people demanding the UK Government immediately halt all new oil and gas consents and licenses.” Their actions have prompted worldwide controversy as they’ve targeted great works of art and athletic and cultural events, including the Wimbledon tennis final. What are they hoping to achieve?: Kate Logan, 38, of Just Stop Oil, posted on her Twitter account, “Many years ago, I sang with a youth choir at the Albert Hall, never imagining I would one day disrupt a performance here to draw attention to the planetary crisis we find ourselves in. But that’s what this has come to — our leaders and the press have failed us for decades, and now it’s up to ordinary people to demand the changes we need.” See the video here: ORCHESTRAL MANEUVERS Royal Opera House Orchestra (Photo courtesy of the Royal Opera House) Royal Opera House Orchestra Votes in Overwhelming Favour of StrikeA ballot closed last Monday with 89.87% of Royal Opera House (ROH) orchestra members voting in favour of a strike. Why all the fuss?: During the pandemic, orchestras, including the Royal Opera House, took a 10% pay cut in order to help the organization stay afloat during lockdowns. Since reopening, that pay cut has yet to be reversed. The big picture: Musicians in the British organization have felt the effects of inflation and rising costs of living. An intense performance and rehearsal schedule has also made work-life balance particularly difficult to achieve. Their demands come during a time of significant arts and funding cuts in the UK. The outgoing London Symphony Orchestra director, Sir Simon Rattle, recently complained of the dire state of affairs for UK classical music organizations, saying that the last few months “have been devastating.” Organizations, including the English National Opera, Donmar Warehouse and Oldham Coliseum, have all recently been removed from government portfolios. What is the orchestra asking for?: For what exactly is the orchestra asking?: The ROH orchestra is willing to wait for a raise in pay, but they want a solid plan to gradually increase wages back to pre-Covid levels. The Musicians’ Union said in a statement that they acknowledge the challenges the ROH management faces due to funding cuts and loan repayments, but they hope to eventually have their pay restored after their dedication during the pandemic. QUIZ J.S. Bach and George Frideric Handel were both _____.A: Alumni of the same elementary school B: Born in Leipzig C: Freemasons D: Blinded by the same surgeon Scroll down for the answer… AROUND THE WEB 📅 On this day: In 1982, "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor from "Rocky III" soundtrack starts a 6-week run at #1 on the US charts. Later that year, it won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. 😴 Relax: Lo-fi radio + air traffic control audio overlay is a perfect recipe for chill vibes. 🤔 Game on: Can you solve this puzzle? 📚 Useful: Someone made a web app that lets you learn a new language and expand your vocabulary very quickly while reading your favourite books or articles in your target language. 🐿️ Aww: This squirrel is living his best life. INSTRUMENT OF THE WEEK Wagner TubaWhile not being a tuba in the strictest sense, the Wagner tuba was actually conceived at the request of Richard Wagner. These Wagnertuben gained popularity in the mid-19th century and made their debut in Wagner's composition "Das Rheingold" (1854). Designed to produce a rich and distinctive tone, they were intended to bridge the tonal gap between the tuba, trombone, and French horn. Following their introduction, Wagner tubas have been utilized by several renowned composers, such as Igor Stravinsky, Richard Strauss, and Béla Bartók, though their usage remains relatively infrequent. QUIZ ANSWER D: Blinded by the same surgeon J.S. Bach and Handel were victims of botched eye surgeries by the great medical charlatan Chevalier Taylor. Handel survived the surgery at least, but a postoperative infection may have killed Bach. How did you like today's email? |