Commentary

Arts Remembrance: Gene Hackman — Hero and Antihero

March 1, 2025
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Gene Hackman’s legacy will never fade, and now, with his passing, many filmgoers may finally appreciate the enormity of his talent and the enduring impact of his work.

Cultural Commentary: On the National Arts

February 28, 2025
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There’s nothing benign about what just happened on the banks of the Potomac. Indeed, the president’s move makes history of the most nefarious kind: for the first time, the federal government has hijacked what is supposed to be the nation’s premiere arts institution in an effort to explicitly censor voices and viewpoints it deems undesirable.

Arts Commentary: Art, Music, and the New Age of Anxiety

February 14, 2025
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However late the hour and however long the road ahead, the cause of standing for justice, knowledge, and freedom isn’t yet doomed. Along the way, let the arts comfort, inspire, instruct, and help lead. That’s what they’re here for.

Arts Remembrance: The Voice of Love — On David Lynch’s Empathy

January 24, 2025
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For all the accusations David Lynch faced over the supposed emotional and ironic detachment of work, his films are wellsprings of love for their subjects.

The 19th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Poll: Now and Then and Then and Now — A Top Ten List From Its Namesake

January 10, 2025
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Here’s my Top 10 presented with the understanding that I didn’t hear as many albums as in other years, or concentrate on those I did hear and enjoy as if I had nothing else on my mind.

The 19th Annual Francis Davis Jazz Poll: The Nuts and Bolts

January 10, 2025
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There is a lot of extraordinary jazz out there that few of us are noticing, myself included.

Book Commentary: “Taming Silicon Valley” — Man Over AI

December 17, 2024
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The kinds of regulations Gary Marcus proposes, however well-intentioned they may be, would — in practice — only end up further disenfranchising the masses.

Theater Reviews – A Musical Mixed Bag on Broadway

November 25, 2024
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Capsule reviews of five new musicals that opened this month on Broadway.

Concert Review: Horizon Ensemble Ushers in a Festive Autumn

November 23, 2024
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There wasn’t much autumnal despondency in this Horizon Ensemble program; it was dedicated to the upside of the season, an invitation to enjoy all its warmth, friendship, and festivity.

Classical Concert Commentary: The Boston Symphony Orchestra Takes On the Contemporary

October 23, 2024
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It is only a month into the current season, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra has offered three pieces that have either been heard for the first time in Symphony Hall or given that more rare honor that evades most premieres — the deuxième performance.

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