Having recently written posts titled, “Minnesota Orchestra on the rocks: What—if anything—should be done?” and “Does it matter that no one gives a shit about classical music any more?”, I braced myself when I answered the phone last night and the caller identified himself as being with the Minnesota Orchestra.

I try not to let commenters bug me, but one who did succeed in getting my dander up was an anonymous (of course) commenter on my negative review of the Jungle Theater's Noises Off. In the review I said that people would be better off watching the 1992 film adaptation, and this commenter condescendingly sneered that comparing a theatrical production to a movie was patent evidence of my incompentence as a critic. "No critic worth anything would compare stage to screen. They're completely different mediums and completely different techniques are used to accomplish them. I'm amazed that someone with two masters degrees doesn't know that."

The Cedar Cultural Center has just announced the lineup for its "African Summer" series: six concerts featuring performers representing the power and diversity of African music today.

"I'm white and I have a lot to learn about black art," I wrote in February, "but I believe I could contribute valuable insight to Obsidian Arts in an advisory capacity." That was how I found myself sitting in a conference room at Pillsbury House last week, joining a conversation as part of the nonprofit arts organization's newly-formed advisory panel.