America’s love of “The Nutcracker”

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None of the original artists behind the ballet “The Nutcracker” are American. The music is by a Russian composer. The original choreographers were Russian and French, and the libretto was adapted from a story by a German writer. Yet the US seems to have made “The Nutcracker” its own. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Alastair Macaulay, chief dance critic for The New York Times, about the Nutcracker phenomenon in America. Download MP3

Video: The Hard Nut: A look back

Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica

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DJ Spooky, whose real name is Paul Miller, is well-known in hip-hop circles. A few years ago, Miller became fascinated with Sinfonia Antarctica, a symphony written by the 20th century British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Miller wanted to write his own symphony to evoke Antarctica and to express his concerns for climate change. Now he is presenting that new work: “Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica.” Download MP3

• DJ Spooky
• Sinfonia Antarctica at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
• Global Hit Archive
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