Here's a look at what's in the limelight for the week of April 25, 2011 in national arts news.
Of This Year's Pulitzers, ‘Goon Squad' May Be First Adaptation
This year's Pulitzer Prize winners were announced last week. Among them were Bruce Norris, who won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his comedy about race relations in Chicago, Clybourne Park; historian Eric Foner, for his book The Firey Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery; the former poet laureate Kay Ryan, for her eighth book of poetry; and the composer Zhou Long for his opera Madame White Snake. This year's winner of the Pulitzer Prize in fiction is Jennifer Egan, whose novel-in-stories, A Visit From The Goon Squad, revolves around characters in San Francisco's punk rock scene from the 1970s to around the year 2020. The award committee cited her "inventive investigation of growing old in the digital age" and "big-hearted curiosity." Now, the cable network HBO is planning to adapt Egan's book into a TV show. The show will be co-produced by Michael London, who also produced the film Sideways, and Jocelyn Hayes Simpson, a producer of the television version of the NPR show, This American Life. Jennifer Egan herself will be a consultant on the project.
- Read the article at the New York Times arts blog, and read an excerpt from A Visit From The Goon Squad.
- Peruse all of this year's Pulitzer winners.
Lyric Opera Of Chicago Names New Director
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has named a new general director: Anthony Freud, who has directed the Welsh National Opera and, most recently, the Houston Grand Opera, where he has been since 1997. Freud is originally from London, but as chairman of the Opera America service organization he is a key figure in America's opera scene. He will take over in the fall for the Lyric Opera's outgoing general director, William Mason, who is retiring.
- Visit the Web site for the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Street Artists Respond To Los Angeles Street Art Exhibit
The LA County Museum of Contemporary Art mounted an unusual exhibition last month. "Art in the Streets" was touted as the first major American museum survey of graffiti and other street art. But after the show opened last week, local street artists responded-outside the gallery. Over the last week, the LAPD has seen a marked rise in graffiti and other vandalism near the museum. The French street artist nicknamed Space Invader is known for leaving mosaic tiles in cities around the world sporting images of the vintage video game from which he takes his name; he was detained last week when he was found outside the exhibit with tiles and grout. After his release, his mosaics were found around the neighborhood. Museum officials have installed security cameras, and are working with community leaders to help clean up some of the vandalism.
- Read the article in the LA Times.
- Visit the Web site of the Los Angeles County Museum of Contemporary Art.