Imagining the 1787 debut of ‘Don Giovanni’

"It is 6.30pm on a cloudy Monday evening and the audience is gathering outside the theatre. Although the opening night of this much-heralded new opera has been the talk of the town for weeks, nobody could have anticipated such a chaotic scene. The number of people wanting to get in has overwhelmed the box office, which has just shut down, and those who do have tickets cannot get to their seats in the scrum."

For the full story, please see Financial Times.

Vivaldi flute concerto discovered

"Andrew Woolley, a musicologist, stumbled upon the find of his career when he saw a reference to an unspecified Vivaldi score among papers belonging to the Marquesses of Lothian in the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. The composition had lain unremarked for 20 years."

For the full story, please see the Guardian.

Media piracy here to stay

"The UW Student Guide states that students can’t use university bandwidth to “copy or use any software, images, music or other intellectual property (such as books or videos) unless you have the legal right to do so,” but despite that rule, I think we all see media piracy persist."

For the full story, please see The Daily.

Husky band coordinates flash mob, practice required

"Once upon a time, these were secretive gatherings that often had political undertones. Now when people talk about flash mobs, they're often talking about a quick, not-so-impromptu dance party."

For the full story, please see the Seattle PI.

From Heaps of Junk, a Melodious Clang

"A tall, trim man in chinos and a green checked shirt strode quickly past broken car carcasses, Dumpsters and chunks of unidentified metal.

In his hand were mallets, and in his eye was a gleam for the right pieces of junk to transform into concert-worthy sounds. He stopped at a small pile of gas tanks, and unleashed a virtuoso solo performance of drumming."

For the full story, please see The New York Times.

Hear It, Feel It

"Who knew that the send-up documentary "This Is Spinal Tap" not only lampooned the business of rock and roll but illustrated deep philosophical conundrums? Recall the scene in which Nigel Tufnel, Spinal Tap's lead guitarist and sometime songwriter, sits noodling at the piano, plinking out a few doleful chords."

For the full story, please see The Wall Street Journal.

Western Washington University's Music Library Slated to Close

"By now you will have examined the proposed budget reductions that were posted this morning on the Planning and Budgeting web site. As part of that cut, the Libraries are proposing to consolidate its two branch libraries – the Music Library and Huxley Map Library. It was the Provost who ultimately made the decision regarding this reduction; a decision that was made very late in the game but which I very much support."

For the full story, please see Western Libraries.