dirac

I can't imagine lauding a paid endorsement. They are what they are - not praiseworthy in themselves and annoying if they become obtrusive, but part of the celebrity landscape as it is today.

Maybe not next year, either:

It also makes the huckstering slightly less obvious and more difficult to ignore -- or even spot if you aren't being attentive. I have nothing against the dancers doing it, they have short careers, it's the American way, and I suppose it's better than seeing corporate brand names sewed into tutus. However, the ads should be clearly marked as ads. I agree. As the saying goes, if you are not paying for the product, you are the product.

Yes, the older Nutcracker was released in the nineties, and the relatively new DVD with Fairchild, et al. is of much more recent vintage. My point was that it's a lot easier to find footage of the older version without buying the DVD. (I wasn't referring to quality, although I was disappointed in the feature film despite the pedigree and good intentions of all involved. Maybe if Mr. B had still been around to supervise things.....)

My guess is Kathleen is right. Which is too bad, because the older Nutcracker is readily available any number of other ways.

Yes, thank you, Mashinka. The name Thiérrée rang a bell - James is the grandson of Charles Chaplin (and the great-grandson of Eugene O'Neill). I remember reading that Chaplin had high hopes for Victoria, James' mother, wanted to make a movie with her, and was disappointed when she literally ran off to join the circus. But I digress. If you would like to write about the Orfeo in the Other Arts forum, hint, hint.....

Thank you for your comments, Royal Blue. You make me long to see Antique Epigraphs.

Tom Wolfe is gone at age 88. Wolfe describes growing up in Richmond. Obit for Roth, who was 85, in the NYT.

Morison has died at age 101 103. RIP.

A normal wedding with more expensive cars, clothes, and of course the indispensable snipers (paid for by the taxpayers). The commentators did get on the nerves. The U.S. network news organizations basically tossed aside any pretense at journalistic intent, as they usually do with U.K. royal weddings, and their people gurgled happily about how wonderful it all was and how the public adored the couple, etc., etc.

Mementos from Ansanelli's dance career and other personal treasures are destroyed in storage. My heart goes out to her.

I tend to agree. Simple classic lines are very nice, but it did look needlessly heavy and boxlike and not terribly flattering. The loose wisp of hair was a bit distracting -- to her as well, since she kept having to brush it back and as you say, it ended up untidily behind her ear. The tiara/bandeau was indeed a lovely piece of vintage jewelry. Music choices pleasant to the ear and sensibility, excessively modernized liturgy not so much. Congrats to the obviously happy couple. (Although it did strike me when they got to the "for richer, for poorer" part that Harry and Meghan won't have to fret much about the latter.)

It's not uncommon among unbroken homes of unblended families, either. Ordinarily, no, you would not necessarily be or feel obliged to invite estranged family members to your wedding. This is not an ordinary wedding and there are factors beyond private feeling involved. If Olga 's information is correct (thanks Olga) people in a position to know tried to explain that to Markle and failed. Live and learn.

What's weird is that the major concern seems to be who will walk her down the aisle now. We can only hope that Mr. Markle doesn't suddenly take an unexpected turn for the worse and die on Meghan's special day. That'll look good. Jayne writes: I'm not sure that judgments like that are called for (?) She's close to one parent but not the other, a common situation. My understanding is that Dad is a retiree living in reduced circumstances. Hardly surprising that he would be overwhelmed by the nature of the attention suddenly being paid him. The problem here lies not with the Markle family, who didn't ask for this, or Meghan herself. If she had the poor judgment not to invite all her family to the wedding, regardless of personal feelings, if only to maintain peace and have them in a place where they would be easier to keep an eye on, providing that sort of advice is what experienced courtiers and private secretaries are for. Not to mention her intended. If she didn't know better, Harry should have done. What a mess.

In both photographs Copeland is being held aloft above the other dancers.

Yes, he was a bit before my time.

It was said at the time the Yorks went up in flames that the Queen was taking a more hands-off role in such matters. Also, times have changed. It would be harder today for the Establishment to bear down on an individual, even a royal individual, as was done to Margaret. Besides, look how that turned out. Instead of a handsome, well-spoken war hero for her they got a photographer with a penchant for tight trousers and louche friends. Not a great argument for interference.

Caron recalls the making of "Gigi."

Glenn Branca has died at age 69.

I expect Kate has plenty of household help and I doubt if there will be any damage to her health or the kiddies if she makes the supreme sacrifice of shaking a few more hands, declaring a few more things open, and making nice with rich foreigners the government is hoping to do business with. However, it's not as if any of these people are likely to be rushed to hospital suffering from stress due to overwork. Fortunately, as a U.S. taxpayer, it's not my problem and I can just enjoy the view. There does seem to be a problem with persistent tone-deafness. Harry and Meghan invited 1200 of the public to the wedding by way of gracious reachout to the hoi polloi but informed them that it was strictly BYOB: On the royals and the arts:

Thanks for the update, Pamela. I understand that Arnault is accused of a good deal worse than a butt pat. This was the right decision and given the current chaos, probably the only decision. Looks like the Academy will double up next year, giving out two prizes for literature:

Serial sexual harassers are known for preying on lower-status women, who are less likely to speak out and less likely to be believed when they do. A demonstrated willingness to treat a woman with a title just as he would any other woman is arguably a very small point in M. Arnault's favor.

Diana also had limitations on what she could and couldn't wear, but Kate may well have more, in part because the Palace doesn't want the Diana phenomenon to happen again and so some pains are taken to ensure Kate does not outshine her husband in public. It's possible eye-catching clothes may play into that. (She doesn't have to worry about heels making her tower over him, though.)

Kate looks fine, given the constraints I indicated above. She may even be economizing a bit by wearing the go-with-everything beige rather than blowing dough on shoes that may go with only one outfit, thus setting an example for us all.

It would be nice if women could just wear what they wear, as men do. Until that happy day arrives, I guess it should be noted that Kate is going to be queen and Markle will never get to touch the throne with a ten-foot pole, which means the latter has and will have more freedom to wear what she likes or something resembling what she likes. Kate has to wear hose and outfits that are rather matronly by contemporary standards. On the other hand, she doesn't have to wear those Hardy Amies turbans and white peep-toe platforms that were once standard for the Windsor ladies, so she can be thankful for that. To echo what Arlene Croce wrote back in the day, the woman in "Diamonds" is rather more than equal. As Farrell once said, "In Diamonds, I'm it." Farrell didn't mean that her partner's role was insignificant or superfluous, and we know she certainly didn't dance it that way; but while she may need him in an emotional sense - and I agree with your excellent point about them meeting in the center as a sort of parley - she doesn't depend on him and this is reflected in the dance, "standard gender roles," or no. And she may, like Millamant, agree to "dwindle into a wife," but you get the feeling there will always be something she keeps for herself.