Free Republic

In an extraordinary last-minute move Manhattan’s Carnegie Hall has cut the acclaimed Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, a close supporter of Vladimir Putin, from its programming this weekend “due to recent world events,” a spokesperson at the prestigious institution said. The decision — which Carnegie and the Vienna Philharmonic had earlier delivered in a joint statement — comes in the wake of the Russian president’s invasion of Ukrainen. Protesters were expected at the superstar maestro’s three highly anticipated appearances leading the Vienna Philharmonic in New York to begin Friday. Gergiev has not yet spoken publicly regarding Moscow’s offensive, but he has...

WATCH: Booing for VP turns graphic at Carnegie Hall Americans in large numbers recognize – and even approve of – the recently appearing chant criticizing Joe Biden that goes "Let's go Brandon." It's a euphemism for the very graphic "F--- Joe Biden" that first appeared, and it came about more or less because a reporter at a NASCAR event, hearing the original chant while interviewing a driver named Brandon, noted on-air that the crowd was encouraging the driver with "Let's go Brandon."

The heads of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall are among dozens of cultural institution leaders quaking in their boots as Mayor Bill de Blasio considers slashing their funds if they fail to meet his staff diversity criteria, The Post has learned.

There are about 20 seats left in all of Carnegie Hall that haven’t been sold for Kathy Griffin’s comeback concert on June 26th. Most of those seats have obstructed views, or are so high up that you’d need binoculars to see the comedian whose career was almost kiboshed for good last year. What happened? In May 2017, famed photographer Tyler Shields shot her holding the bloody, decapitated head of Donald Trump. The right wing went crazy, she was criticized and ostracized. How dare she do that a sitting president? Well, thankfully, people have calmed down. The decapitating (let’s not get...

Kathy Griffin Is Back: Controversial Comedian Is “So Grateful” Her Carnegie Hall Show Sells Out in A Day There are about 20 seats left in all of Carnegie Hall that haven’t been sold for Kathy Griffin’s comeback concert on June 26th. Most of those seats have obstructed views, or are so high up that you’d need binoculars to see the comedian whose career was almost kiboshed for good last year. What happened? In May 2017, famed photographer Tyler Shields shot her holding the bloody, decapitated head of Donald Trump. The right wing went crazy, she was criticized and ostracized. How...

Ronald O. Perelman, the hard-charging billionaire businessman who became chairman of Carnegie Hall earlier this year, told his fellow board members on Thursday that he would step down next month because he had been frustrated that they had been slow to investigate his concerns about the governance of the hall, several people familiar with the proceedings said. Mr. Perelman had accused Carnegie’s well-respected executive and artistic director, Clive Gillinson, of a “troubling lack of transparency” and had criticized the board for failing to provide “appropriate oversight.”

This week, Carnegie Hall stagehands who make on average $419,000 a year went on strike, forcing the cancellation of a gala that would have benefited nonprofit artistic and education programs. The dispute between the 122-year hall and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Union, reportedly the first ever strike at Carnegie Hall, was resolved on Friday.

Two mature women paid the best tributes to Pete Townshend’s songs in “The Music of the Who”: 21 acts performing a selection each on Tuesday night at Carnegie Hall. One was Patti Smith, seizing “My Generation” like a born rocker. “Oh, Carnegie Hall,” she announced on arrival, “forgive me for what I am about to do.” She strapped on a guitar and took on a cocky swagger as the band charged into the song. She snarled and howled the lyrics. She spit, twice. She added her own generational message, urging people to “Rise up!”... The other was the soul singer...

<p>About 30 seconds into his opener “The Passenger” at New York’s Carnegie Hall Friday night, Iggy Pop declared, “Aw, fuck this shirt,” tore off his black V-neck sweater and tossed it stage right to a waiting Patti Smith, who caught it and giddily hopped up and down while swinging like she’d just caught a wedding bouquet.</p>

Editta Sherman has celebrated more than half a century's worth of new years in her palatial studio apartment above New York's Carnegie Hall. But it's unlikely the celebrated portrait photographer will be raising her glass there next year. Known as the Duchess of Carnegie, the 96-year-old came home a few days ago to find an eviction notice on her door. "I thought, oh, what is this? Are you kidding me that they are really going to send a woman like me down the street just like that? Have me scurry away without a fight," she said, delivering a whooping cackle,...

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League – a group that exists to promote Bill Donohue, er, prevent “virulent anti-Catholicism” – is leading a protest against Jerry Springer: The Opera, which will be performed at Carnegie Hall on January 29th and 30th and stars Harvey Keitel as Springer. The show chronicles Jerry Springer’s adventures in hell, where he's forced to host an outrageous talk show whose guests include Adam and Eve, Mary, Jesus, and, as his crowd “warm up” man, Satan. Donohue’s dutifully parsed the script and excerpted all the blasphemous material, which may not be the best tactic because...

One week from today, “Jerry Springer—The Opera” will open a two-day run at Carnegie Hall. Commenting on this is Catholic League president Bill Donohue: “Never before in its illustrious history has Carnegie Hall been home to Christian bashing, but that is all about to change on January 29 and 30. Incredibly, it is allowing a patently obscene and viciously anti-Christian musical to be performed on its stage. Thus has it got into bed with the bigots, making a mockery of art in the process. This isn’t art—it’s license. “Is it art when a world religion is trashed on stage in...

Ok, this is 'older'; but it looks front page news worthy to me! Corporate Board Member May/Jun 2003 Feature Story How Citigroup’s Board Cleaned the Stable by Monica Langley Sandy Weill built the world’s most profitable financial empire. Then Citigroup—and Weill—became embroiled in scandal. Here’s how he got his board to sign off on his plan to save the company and redeem himself. During his tumultuous career, humbly born Sanford I. Weill survived setbacks that would have finished most people and went on to build Citigroup, the singularly profitable agglomeration of Citibank, Travelers, Smith Barney, and other financial businesses (2002...

A 16-year-old pianist is suing his teacher, claiming she confronted him on stage during a Carnegie Hall competition and slammed the keyboard cover on his fingers as they argued over what piece he would play. Bryan O'Lone of Vineland also claims that Yalena Ivanov publicly berated him during the Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey event, stripped him of a $350 prize he had earned at an earlier organization event and barred him from taking part in a trip to a musical festival in Italy. The teen and his family are seeking unspecified damages and a public apology from Ivanov,...