Monday, January 04, 2010
Art Funding or Arts Funding
David Byrne's Journal: "The LA Opry production of Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” is budgeted at $32 million. 32 million! Jeez, Broadway shows don’t cost that much; U2’s concert tour might, but then that’s a stadium show… and in those latter two instances the people who wrote them are still living! (And presumably get paid, which is part of the cost.) Wagner has been dead for a long time last I heard, so one assumes it’s not the composer or the librettist whose agent is charging the moon. Granted, it is a 4-part epic so that budget might be divided in 4. A recent article reported that they are worried about being able to cover $20 million right now. I shouldn’t wonder they’re worried, especially in LA, not known for its arts funding."
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2 comments:
I'm wondering whether this is offset by the opera being funded by another opera company, as they often are, where as they share costumes, sets, etc. That would be helpful, but still 32-million is a lot of green.
Scotty Zacher
Owner/Editor - ChicagoTheaterBlog
Being from California, and seeing how funding has been cut for education, state parks, etc. to come across this makes me SO mad. I think politicians should be required to have SOME kind of artistic aspect to their lives. Like being able to paint or play an instrument. There just HAS to be a way for people in powerful positions to understand how important the arts are. Especially in the education of young children.
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