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Category Archive
Preview: 'Ancient Paths, Modern Voices' November 9, 2009 |
Coming soon on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown reports on "Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: A Festival Celebrating Chinese Culture," a festival currently taking place at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Conversation: Jonathan Lethem November 6, 2009 |
In Jonathan Lethem's new novel, "Chronic City," two friends travel through a Manhattan that is both very recognizable -- from the billionaire mayor to the burgers at a local diner -- while also surreal, looking for truth.
Ben Folds Turns Orchestras Into Rock Bands October 28, 2009 |
While it might not appear to be the case, Ben Folds concedes he wasn't entirely comfortable playing the piano in front of an orchestra at first. That's because growing up in North Carolina, playing percussion in orchestras, he never dreamed he'd be the headliner.
Monday on the NewsHour: Michael Chabon October 26, 2009 |
Jeffrey Brown talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning author writer Michael Chabon about his first work of non-fiction, "Manhood for Amateurs," a collection of essays.
Conversation: 'A New Way Forward' Through Cultural Exchange October 23, 2009 |
From "American Idol" to "Afghan Star," art and entertainment can be powerful tools for cultural exchange. That's the argument in the recent report, "A New Way Forward," which calls for the utilization of the arts to build a better relationship with the Muslim world.
35 Years of Austin City Limits October 20, 2009 |
Extended interviews and performances from Jeffrey Brown's report on Austin City Limits as the PBS music program celebrates its 35th anniversary year.
Conversation: Nick Hornby October 16, 2009 |
"Juliet, Naked," a new novel by Nick Hornby, explores middle-age relationships, online communities, and the nature of being a fan of popular music.
In Theaters Is 'Where The Wild Things Are' October 16, 2009 |
Opening in theaters nationwide today is the film adaptation of Maurice Sendaks' beloved children's book, "Where The Wild Things Are." Directed by Spike Jonze, the film has been years in the making and the reviews have been generally positive.
Conversation: Joan Baez October 15, 2009 |
Last night on PBS's American Masters, viewers got an intimate portrait of one of America's most famous singers. Joan Baez began performing with her guitar in coffee shops at just 17, but went on to help define the sound and social momentum of the 1960s with her politically-charged folk songs.
'Herb & Dorothy,' a Love Story About Art, Opens New Season of Independent Lens October 13, 2009 |
The story of a postal worker and his librarian wife, who with modest means created one of the most priceless collections of contemporary art in the world, is the subject of Tuesday's season premier of Independent Lens on PBS.
Conversation: Hilary Mantel, Winner of the 2009 Booker Prize October 9, 2009 |
Hilary Mantel took home the coveted Man Booker Prize this week for her novel, "Wolf Hall," a detailed look at the contemptuous court of Henry VIII during the English Reformation.
Art:21 Kicks off New Season October 7, 2009 |
"Art:21":http://beta.art21.org/, the documentary series about art and artists in the 21st-century, starts a new season tonight on PBS.
Francine Prose Unlocks the Life and Diary of Anne Frank October 2, 2009 |
A new book by writer Francine Prose called "Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife" asks how much we really know about Frank and her famous work, and wonders what more the talented young writer could have produced if she had not died in a concentration camp as a teenager.
Conversation: Writer Lorrie Moore September 25, 2009 |
It's December 2001 and a young midwestern college student named Tassie Keltjin is about to get a more worldly education when she accepts a part-time job as a nanny to the adopted child of a sophisticated Middle-aged couple. What happens over the next year is told in the new novel, "A Gate at the Stairs."
Conversation: Scott Noppe-Brandon on the Power, Possibility of Imagination September 23, 2009 |
In a new book called 'Imagination First,' co-authors Eric Liu and Scott Noppe-Brandon argue that we -- individuals and society -- could badly use some imaginative thinking about the imagination.
Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson September 21, 2009 |
Extended interviews and readings with Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson.
Conversation: Mark Knopfler September 18, 2009 |
On his new solo album "Get Lucky," the Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter and guitar great Mark Knopfler takes an almost nostalgic look at the people and places he encountered growing up in Britain, painting their portraits through a blend of rock, blues, and folk.
Conversation: Patti Smith Reflects on the Life of Her Friend, Jim Carroll September 14, 2009 |
It was Patti Smith who first encouraged Jim Carroll to blend his poetry with rock 'n' roll, bringing him on stage to perform his work with her band. He went on to form the Jim Carroll Band. Jeffrey Brown talks to Smith about her friend, who passed away Friday.
Conversation: Oxford American Takes On Southern Literature September 11, 2009 |
The Oxford American bills itself as "the Southern Magazine of Good Writing." This month the emphasis is on the good and the truly great, as the magazine offers its first ever "Southern Literature" issue.
Wednesday on the NewsHour: Beatlemania September 9, 2009 |
Wednesday on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown talks to Tim Riley, a contributing music critic for NPR, about the release of the Beatles Remastered. Earlier Wednesday, Michelle Steele of Bloomberg News gave the business angle on the Beatles' releases.
Conversation: Matthew Crawford, Author of 'Shop Class as Soulcraft' September 4, 2009 |
Friday on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown spoke with philosopher and motorcycle-repair shop owner Matthew Crawford about his book, "Shop Class as Soulcraft."
Conversation: Writer, Professor Mark Slouka on America's 'Dehumanized' Education September 4, 2009 |
As students head back to high schools and colleges across the country, an essay in the September issue of Harper's Magazine declares that, "Education in America today is almost exclusively about the GDP."
Conversation: Josh Neufeld Revisits Katrina August 28, 2009 |
Josh Neufeld's "A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge" tracks the lives of New Orleans residents as they fled or remained, and then struggled to cope in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Conversation: Novelist Richard Russo August 14, 2009 |
Jeffrey Brown talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo about his latest book, "That Old Cape Magic."
Conversation: Alex Prud'homme, Co-Author of Julia Child's 'My Life in France' August 7, 2009 |
For decades on PBS, Julia Child brought her infectious enthusiasm for French cooking into the kitchens of her rapt viewers, passing on the culinary lessons she had learned during the years she lived in France.
Elvis Costello: His Aim Is Still True July 29, 2009 |
Wednesday on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown profiles singer, songwriter and TV show host Elvis Costello, whose latest album, "Secret, Profane & Sugarcane," looks to country and bluegrass music for inspiration.
Remembering Merce Cunningham July 27, 2009 |
An extended interview with David Vaughan, who has been with Merce Cunningham's dance company for more than forty years. He is also the author of the biography, "Merce Cunningham: Fifty Years."
Conversation Preview: Elvis Costello July 24, 2009 |
Coming soon on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown has a profile of singer Elvis Costello. Here's a preview of their conversation.
The Missoula Children's Theatre July 23, 2009 |
The Missoula Children's Theatre in Montana is a traveling theater company that temporarily sets up shop in schools across the country that don't have drama programs.
Conversation: Painter John Currin July 17, 2009 |
American painter John Currin is one of the most recognized and lauded figurative artists working today whose work is one of the subjects of an exhibition called "Paint Made Flesh," which is now at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.
Conversation: Joseph O'Neill, Author of 'Netherland' July 10, 2009 |
For his book "Netherland," author Joseph O'Neill had a unique vantage point to explore the now-familiar literary terrain of post-9/11 New York. Not well known to most American readers, New York City's cricket-playing community is certainly well known to O'Neill, who was born in Ireland and educated in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Stuart Eizenstat, Holocaust Era Assets Conference July 6, 2009 |
Delegates from 50 countries just gathered in Prague to discuss the status of property looted by the Nazis during World War II, including hundreds of thousands of art works.
Conversation: Werner Herzog June 30, 2009 |
In 1982 in the Peruvian jungle, Werner Herzog was making a film about an opera fanatic who would do anything to bring music to his remote city: Fitzcarraldo and his small crew face deadly river rapids, indigenous tribes with spears and the impossible task of hauling a steamship over a mountain.
Conversation: Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson's Longtime Friend and Producer June 26, 2009 |
Quincy Jones, who was Michael Jackson's longtime friend and record producer, talks about Jackson's life and legacy.
National Symphony Orchestra Tours China June 24, 2009 |
China is home to stars like the pianist Lang Lang, it has vast numbers of music students, it's the world's largest exporter of musical instruments, and it's building new venues to hear music all the time.
Conversation: Filmmaker Albert Maysles June 19, 2009 |
Albert Maysles has spent much of his life behind a camera catching intimate glimpses of the lives of others: politicians, rock stars, heavyweight champions, travelling salesmen, eccentric society mavens and everyday people.
Extended Interview: Lynn Nottage June 15, 2009 |
It's set in a small bar in the Congo, but Lynn Nottage's recent Pulitzer Prize-winning play, 'Ruined,' tells an epic story about the ravages of war, especially its impact on women.
Conversation: Historian Simon Schama June 12, 2009 |
Historian Simon Schama is well-known for his books and television documentaries on art and a wide range of other subjects.
Thursday on the NewsHour: Art Institute of Chicago Opens Modern Wing June 11, 2009 |
Thursday on the NewsHour: Art Institute of Chicago Opens Modern Wing
Conversation: Terry Teachout Recaps the Tony Awards June 8, 2009 |
It was a big night for "Billy Elliot" as the theater world celebrated Broadway at the Tony Awards. In a first, the three teenage boys who rotate in the role of Billy Elliot shared the Tony for best performance by a leading actor in a musical.
Friday on the NewsHour: Tony-Award Winning Signature Theatre Has Rich Past June 5, 2009 |
Friday on the NewsHour: Tony-Award Winning Signature Theatre Has Rich Past
Conversation: Michael John LaChiusa June 5, 2009 |
Michael John LaChiusa is one of today's leading musical theater composers whose shows have appeared on and off Broadway. His musical, "Giant," based on the 1952 Edna Ferber novel, made its world premiere at the Signature Theatre.
Conversation: Geoffrey Rush May 29, 2009 |
Geoffrey Rush is well-known for many film roles, including "Shine," for which he won an Academy Award, "Shakespeare in Love" and much more. "Exit the King" is his debut on Broadway, and he's been nominated for a Tony Award for best actor in a play.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings May 22, 2009 |
Soul music began in the late-1950s and never really died, but in recent years there seems to be something of a revival underway. One center of that movement is Daptone Records and its most prominent voice, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.
Conversation: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Discuss Their New Film, 'Sugar' May 15, 2009 |
The new film, "Sugar," is a dramatic telling of the story of a young Dominican-born baseball player as he learns some lessons about baseball and life at a training camp in his homeland and as a minor league player in Iowa.
Conversation: Daniyal Mueenuddin May 8, 2009 |
Daniyal Mueenuddin new book, "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders," comprises a series of linked stories that explore the lives of peasants and landowners in Pakistan's Punjab.
Conversation: Arthur Phillips, Author of 'The Song Is You' May 1, 2009 |
Arthur Phillips, author of "The Song Is You," made a name for himself with his very first novel, "Prague," which became a national bestseller. That was followed by "The Egyptologist" and "Angelica."
Conversation: Poet Carl Phillips April 28, 2009 |
To read Carl Phillips to enter a world of finely-wrought poems that explore mind and body, history and intimacy. Phillips is a professor of English and African-American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis and a much praised and honored poet.
Conversation: Adina Hoffman, Author of the New Biography of Poet Taha Muhammad Ali April 24, 2009 |
Several years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to travel through Israel and the West Bank to talk to Palestinian and Israeli poets. Among the remarkable writers I met there and the one who made the greatest impression on viewers was Taha Muhammad Ali.
Around the Country, Newspapers Cut Arts Critics April 20, 2009 |
The Pulitzer Prizes were announced today. It's a time to celebrate the best in journalism, but also a chance for us to look at changes in the industry and their impact on the quality of newspaper coverage.
Conversation: John Richardson, Biographer and Friend of Pablo Picasso April 17, 2009 |
For much of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso was at the forefront of modern art, but the work of his later years has at times been taken less seriously, as more an appendage to his earlier, revolutionary turns.
Conversation: Elie Wiesel April 10, 2009 |
In the new novel, "A Mad Desire to Dance," Doriel Waldman has survived the holocaust as a youth and achieved professional success as a man only to find himself in his 60s barely hanging onto his sanity.
Conversation: Filmmaker Ramin Bahrani April 3, 2009 |
"Goodbye Solo" is the third film by 34-year-old director Ramin Bahrani. It film won the Critic's Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2008, and is just beginning to be seen in selected theaters around the country.
Conversation: Robert Lynch, President, Americans for the Arts March 27, 2009 |
Amid the economic downturn, many arts organizations around the country are feeling the hurt right now, along with everyone else.
Getty, Italian Museum Announce Collaboration March 24, 2009 |
The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles announced Monday a new collaboration with the Archaeology Museum in Florence, Italy to bring artifacts from the Italian museum to museum-goers in California.
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's 'The 99' March 20, 2009 |
It looks like an ordinary American comic book; heroes wear brightly colored costumes and use their bulging muscles to conquer the forces of evil. But look again -- one of the superheroes is wearing a burka.
Conversation: NPR's Bob Boilen on SXSW March 17, 2009 |
In March, basketball fans have their "madness"...music fans have South by Southwest. The annual festival brings more than 1,800 musicians from around the globe to Austin, Texas, which even in normal times bills itself as the "live music capitol of the world."
SXSW Shifts Gears to Music Festival March 17, 2009 |
The gears are shifting in Austin, Texas, as the South by Southwest Interactive Festival wraps up and the live music capital of the world prepares for the start of the music festival on Wednesday.
Conversation: Pianist Simone Dinnerstein March 13, 2009 |
Two years ago, pianist Simone Dinnerstein seized the attention of the classical music world with a debut concert at Carnegie Hall and a self-produced recording that became a bestseller and made many critics' top lists that year.
More Than a Weekly Poem: A Conversation and Reading With Poet Laureate Kay Ryan March 9, 2009 |
Known for short, compact writing and for living a very quiet life, Kay Ryan has taken on a big and very public role as the nation's Poet Laureate. For more than thirty years, Ryan has lived and taught remedial English in Marin County, Calif.
Blurring the Boundaries of Jazz, Arabic Music March 9, 2009 |
In another in our series about the Kennedy Center's Arabesque art festival, Jeffrey Brown profiles Egyptian musician Fathy Salama, who began playing the piano at age 6 and performing at Cairo clubs at 13.
Tonight on the NewsHour: Fathy Salama March 6, 2009 |
Jeffrey Brown profiles Fathy Salama in our series about the Kennedy Center's Arabesque art festival. Salama began playing the piano at age 6 and performing at Cairo clubs at 13.
Conversation With Author Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket March 6, 2009 |
Through a series of unfortunate events, apparently, Daniel Handler did not grow up to be a musician. Instead, he -- or rather, one Lemony Snicket -- grew up to write the wildly popular series, "A Series of Unfortunate Events."
From Lebanon, Songs of Love and Strife March 2, 2009 |
In another in our series about the Kennedy Center's Arabesque art festival, Jeffrey Brown profiles Lebanese folk singer Marcel Khalife, who for nearly 40 years has been rousing audiences with songs about love and strife, politics and injustice.
Tonight on the NewsHour: Marcel Khalife February 27, 2009 |
Friday on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown profiles Marcel Khalife, who for nearly 40 years has been rousing audiences with songs about love and strife.
Conversation: Museum of Islamic Art February 27, 2009 |
Sitting on its own small island in Doha, Qatar, on the Persian Gulf, the brand new Museum of Islamic Art contains one of the greatest collections of the religion's art and artifacts, including works from throughout the Arab world, Europe and Central Asia.
Three Women, Three Portraits of Cairo February 27, 2009 |
Azza Fahmy is a jewelry maker taking from the past to create beautiful new objects. Karima Mansour is a dancer struggling to find acceptance in her own country. Lara Baladi is an artist who sheds a dark light on life in her city.
Al-Bassam Theatre Finds Modern Inspiration in Shakespeare's 'Richard III' February 25, 2009 |
Here's the second in our broadcast series on Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World, which began Monday at the Kennedy Center. Tuesday evening, Jeffrey Brown profiled Kuwaiti writer and theater director Sulayman al-Bassam.
The al-Bassam Theatre's 'Murder of Clarence' February 24, 2009 |
Tuesday on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown profiles Kuwaiti writer and theater director Sulayman al-Bassam, who adapts Shakespeare to explore contemporary culture and politics in the Persian Gulf.
Arabesque Opens at the Kennedy Center February 24, 2009 |
Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World opened at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Monday. Here's the first in a series of broadcast reports, which aired Monday evening on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
Arabesque and Us February 23, 2009 |
Regular visitors to Art Beat will remember that I was in the Middle East a few weeks back talking to artists (and, as it turned out, reporting on the Gaza conflict's fallout) for a series of profiles tied to Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World.
Jeffrey Brown Previews the Academy Awards With the AFI's Todd Hitchcock February 20, 2009 |
Jeffrey Brown previews the Academy Awards with the AFI's Todd Hitchcock.
Jeffrey Brown Recaps the Grammy Awards With the New Yorker's Sasha Frere-Jones February 9, 2009 |
The 51st Grammy Awards were held last night in Los Angeles, and there were some clear winners: New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne took home best rap album and rap song, British rockers Coldplay won best rock album and song of the year.
Conversation: Brian Dennehy and Robert Falls February 6, 2009 |
Brian Dennehy and Robert Falls have teamed up for nearly all of O'Neill's classics. Now, they're at it again, with "Desire Under the Elms," part of an ambitious six-play festival of O'Neill at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.
Conversation: Author Neil Gaiman January 30, 2009 |
Author Neil Gaiman is a man of many genres: science fiction, graphic novels -- some of you will know his "Sandman" series -- screenplays, adult fiction, as well as books for young readers.
A Setting Fitting for a Master January 30, 2009 |
Watching the 2003 interview I did with John Updike, who died this week, brought back very warm memories about the man and a very special day. Whenever we have the opportunity to travel and visit with writers and artists, we give much thought to the setting.
Conversation: Roberto Bolano's '2666' January 23, 2009 |
For most of the English-speaking world and certainly for this reader, Roberto Bolano was unknown only a few years ago. Since then, he's become a literary phenomenon--his novels read, reviewed, discussed, widely praised.
Scenes From a Mideast Trip January 22, 2009 |
News from Gaza on every television. One man said to me: "I feel as though I've seen every one of the 1,200 bodies of those killed." And on every tongue: expressions of outrage, helplessness, sadness.
Filming in Cairo? Your Papers, Please January 16, 2009 |
I have been to Cairo before, but not like this. Before, I walked anonymously; today, I'm part of a small group carrying a magnet for endless attention -- a TV camera.
Marcel Khalife...Don't Call Him Bob Dylan January 13, 2009 |
Marcel Khalife is often described in articles as the "Bob Dylan of the Middle East." (In my preparation for this trip, by the way, I discovered two different women described as the "Oprah of the Middle East").
Hezbollah by Day, Dunkin' Donuts by Night January 12, 2009 |
Hezbollah by day and Dunkin' Donuts by night. And that was just our first 24 hours in Beirut. I didn't go into the Dunkin' Donuts shop; I just stared in the window. Wherever we go around the world, the brands follow us.
Conversation: Andy Goldsworthy January 7, 2009 |
Sculptor Andy Goldsworthy has spent much of the last three decades creating works amid natural settings in his native England or across Europe and North America, or even at the North Pole.
Previews of Next Week and a Mideast Trip January 2, 2009 |
We continue to receive many wonderful comments and responses to specific stories and to the entire Art Beat effort. But the news is not always good.
Conversation: Peter Matthiessen December 31, 2008 |
Peter Matthiessen, a 2008 National Book Award winner, is best known as both a novelist and non-fiction writer, but he's also an environmental activist, American Indian rights advocate and former C.I.A. recruit.
Preview for Next Week December 26, 2008 |
I'm sure our regular NewsHour viewers will understand when I say that, first and foremost, we are "news people." One of our goals in starting Art Beat was to make sure we stay on top of the news in the art world even as we offer features and interviews.
Conversation: David Thomson on Film December 23, 2008 |
For more than 30 years, film critic and scholar David Thomson has been asked one question over and over again: "So, what movies should I see?" His latest book, "Have You Seen....?," is an extended romp of an answer, with short essays on 1,000 films.
Conversation: 'Milk's' Cleve Jones December 19, 2008 |
The new film, "Milk," by director Gus Van Sant tells the story of Harvey Milk, who in 1977 became the first openly gay elected official in the United States as a member of the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors.
The Voice of Harvey Milk December 19, 2008 |
The "Hope Speech" became Harvey Milk's stump speech. He gave a skeletal version when he declared his candidacy in 1977 and an expanded version in 1978 for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, later known as the Gay Pride Parade.
Preview for Next Week ... and a Thank You December 19, 2008 |
I want to thank all of you 'first responders' who've written here and reached us in other ways with comments on our new Art Beat blog. The positive feedback has been very gratifying and encourages us to go forward with this effort.
Jeffrey Brown Unveils Art Beat on the Program December 16, 2008 |
In case you missed it Monday evening, here are correspondents Jeffrey Brown and Judy Woodruff talking about Art Beat on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
Rebuilding New Orleans with Prospect.1 December 15, 2008 |
Tonight on the NewsHour, Jeffrey Brown reports on the New Orleans' efforts to rebuild its art scene and its tourist industry through Prospect.1, an exhibition of contemporary art billed as the largest of its kind ever held in the United States.
Conversation with Alaa al Aswany December 15, 2008 |
Since the release of his first novel, "The Yacoubian Building," in 2002, Alaa al Aswany has catapulted from being a dentist with a literary bent to the Arab-speaking world's best-selling fiction writer.
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Burtynsky's 'Oil': Refining Art from the Crude
In Theaters Is 'Where The Wild Things Are'
Conversation: Jonathan Lethem
Ben Folds Turns Orchestras Into Rock Bands
A Mission to Save a Cultural Legacy, One Deli Sandwich at a Time
Andrew W.K. Rocks a Classical Sound
Weekly Poem: 'Ode to Mix Tapes'
Weekly Poem: 'Domestique'
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