Rockwell Audio

Elizabeth Kolbert co-edited a collection of the finest writing about the Arctic and Antarctic, The Ends of the Earth . The book honors four centuries of exploration and scientific study, and also is a reminder of what we risk losing because of climate change.

John Rockwell has his finger on the still-beating pulse of a theme in current cinema: the elderly singing rock 'n roll. Whether as part of an inspirational community outreach ("Young at Heart"), or a Rolling Stones tour (Martin Scorsese's "Shine a Light"), the age of the participants only serves to highlight the vitality and vigor of the music. Read the transcript

Commentator John Rockwell examines two recent performances of South Africana: Pieter-Dirk Uys's "Elections and Erections" at Harvard and the revival of "Sizwe Banzi is Dead" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and looks into his own role in the field some ten years ago while at the Lincoln Center Festival. Read the transcript

Multiculturalism is heating up the dance communities, with performers of far-ranging descents bringing their traditions and styles to bear on our American scene. Commentator John Rockwell considers two excited cases: Taiwanese-born, Martha Graham-technique trained Fang-Yi Sheu and London-born, but of Bangladeshi-descent, Akram Khan . Read the transcript

Hall of Fame catcher Gary "The Kid" Carter talks about the ups and downs of his 19-year career in the major leagues, and what he thinks about how baseball has changed in his lifetime. His new memoir is Still a Kid at Heart: My Life in Baseball and Beyond .

In Europe they celebrate, in America we mourn. Commentator John Rockwell remarks a national tendency to promote cultural achievements in less-than-cheerful circumstances, whether after a critic's divorce from its journal, or worse, after a musician's divorce from... life. In this instance, John considers octogenarian music critic Alan Rich's recent separation from The Village Voice and composer/conductor Gerhard Samuel's recent passing.

Renowned ad man George Lois talks about how he’s created so many effective ad campaigns over the years, for everyone from Bobby Kennedy to MTV to the New York Post . MoMA is currently hosting “George Lois: The Esquire Covers,” a new exhibit of his covers for Esquire magazine. Slideshow: George Lois’s Esquire magazine covers

Go see it! Or such is the subtext, sometimes implicit, sometimes explicit, of commentator John Rockwell's review of Philip Glass's 1980 masterpiece, the opera Satyagraha , which has come to the Met in an exciting, puppet-filled production. The opera is based on the early travels in South Africa of Mahatma Ghandi and the formation of his philosophy of non-violent resistance and is in limited engagement here in New York. Read the transcript.

Thematic programming at concert series and festivals has always been a trick of the trade, but what does it really accomplish? Does it put a friendly, marketable face on unconnected elements or allow for mutually-enriching perspectives? Commentator John Rockwell considers the skeptical and the supportive sides, as he looks to the upcoming seasons of Glimmerglass Opera and Bard College . Read the transcript.

Well… almost everyone. Commentator John Rockwell takes a look at the longstanding conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, James Levine , weighing in on both the lush adulation and pointed criticism that have greeted Levine during his tenure at one of the world’s premiere musical institutions.