NY Philharmonic does North Korea
The New York Philharmonic does a series of concerts in North Korea as cultural diplomacy. This is an absurd idea, and in fact, when I watched the performance, the audience looked either bored, agitated, or were nodding off. The choice of music was stupid as well: Dvorak's 'New World' and Gershwin's 'American in Paris', the latter of which is suffused with hedonism, below the cultural radar of the audience. This is as imperialist and arrogant as any US foreign policy stunt.
Next in the NK series: Eric Clapton. Now that's more intelligent! American culture can be more accurately described through pop culture and its genesis in the music of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and The Beatles. At least the hedonism there is clearly stated and mot just surreptitious.
Next in the NK series: Eric Clapton. Now that's more intelligent! American culture can be more accurately described through pop culture and its genesis in the music of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and The Beatles. At least the hedonism there is clearly stated and mot just surreptitious.
