Rockwell Matters Archive

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March 2008

Everybody Loves Levine

Monday, March 31, 2008

Well… almost everyone. Commentator John Rockwell takes a look at the longstanding conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, James Levine, weighing in on both the lush adulation and pointed criticism that have greeted Levine during his tenure at one of the world’s premiere musical institutions.

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Nico Muhly and the Artful Rocker

Monday, March 24, 2008

Do we not secretly think success disqualifies classical music from the heavens? Why is rock music automatically at a disadvantage in critical circles? Well, not anymore, argues commentator John Rockwell, as he looks into the rise of young, popular composers such as Nico Muhly who are bridging these antique divides.

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The Super Delegates of SNL

Monday, March 17, 2008

Saturday Night Live has always reveled in the theater of presidential campaigns, yet for this election season, have the boundaries between spoof and propaganda begun to blur? Culture critic John Rockwell looks into the history and power of this often unhealthy but ever fruitful marriage of politics and popular culture.

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The Value of Stars

Monday, March 10, 2008

Why can we not always take musical superstars seriously? Do we need to imagine them suffering for their craft or can we only imagine the weight of celebrity as a force of dilution? Culture critic John Rockwell explores his own past dealing with the prima donnas of the arts and explains why he must come to their defense.

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Brawling Ballerinas

Monday, March 03, 2008

As the battles continue to wage over the rivalries and differences between the camps of traditional ballet and modern dance, culture critic John Rockwell takes stock of their tumultuous — but often collaborative — pasts, while looking ahead to the future.

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