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Arts: What's Italian for 'Johnnie Cochran?'

Officials at the MFA must have read this morning's New York Times with concern. The lead story on the Arts section, by Elisabetta Povoledo, says Italian authorities will tomorrow question the director of New York's Metropolitan Museum about the provenance of more than 30 items in the Met's collection. Italian authorities say the items were looted and they want them back. In a related case, a curator for the Getty Museum in Los Angeles went on trial in Rome last week on criminal charges stemming from questions about the origins of items in that museum's collection. And as the Globe's Geoff Edgers has reported, the MFA is one of several other U.S. museums containing disputed items. The whole case stems to a 1995 raid on a warehouse in Geneva that turned up photos of many of the items with (Italian) soil still on them.

For U.S. museum officials, the key sentence in the Times article must be this one about Italian investigators: "Their hope is to bring about a day of reckoning for American museums and collectors, requiring them to explain how they came into possession of such objects and even to return some of them." The Getty has already made "donations" of several disputed artifacts to Italy, albeit without getting its curator off the hook.

The morning papers

Two readers today, that's all I've got time for. In the Herald, Sarah Rodman has a cheery chat with an upbeat Carly Simon, who'll play the Orpheum Saturday night with kids Ben and Sally. And in the Globe, Jack Thomas gets George Wein talking about his collection of African American art now on display at BU in "Miles, Louis and Me." But you really have to buy the hard copy for that one, so you can see the works in question. Wein's doing a talk at noon today at the BU gallery, and I wish I could go. ... Wait! One more. The Globe has all the news on next summer at Tanglewood, including the return of Seiji, here.

Arts: ICA sets September opening

I was revved when I saw the email from the ICA at 8:03 this morning setting a September opening date for the museum's exciting new home on the waterfront. Then I was disappointed at 8:30 when I saw the whole story was already in the Globe courtesy of Geoff Edgers. But Bostonians not riven with professional jealousy ought to celebrate this news. The building looks like it's going to be terrific from inside and out - I'm not sure the same can be said of the new MFA addition - and certainly the ICA deserves a home that's the equal of its ambitions. Its current Back Bay digs are frankly embarrassing compared to those of its peers around the country. The Diller Scofidio + Renfro building is not only the first new art museum built in Boston in a century, it's actually cool, which apparently goes against every grain of our civic being. Now we just have to hope someone gets their act together to build a neighborhood around it on Fan Pier.

The morning papers: Saving the Square

Good story in the Herald on the future for that key cultural crossroads, Harvard Square. Of course these days much of the permanent, ongoing discussion is driven by the retail interests that have taken over the Square. Donna Goodison writes that business owners, city officials and residents met recently to figure out how to get back the Square's "retail mojo." She then goes on to ask PR and marketing people like George Regan how they'd accomplish it. And interestingly, many of their ideas refer to the more chaotic past before the Square became a theme park version of its former self, ruled by brand-name chains and too-cute-by-half eateries. "Intellectual. International. Independent." is Regan's suggestion for a Square slogan. But of course - the great Charlie's Kitchen aside - far too few of the businesses around the Square are still independent. Here's hoping the job gets done.

Another big Mass. cultural story that gets its best airing in the Herald today is  on the Beacon Hill push to at long last provide some tax breaks to film and TV productions. I liked Greg Gatlin's take best. Although even he fails to clear up just exactly what the freakin' problem is. Numerous other states have passed incentives, attracting productions that in some cases would have filmed here if tax breaks had been in place. You have to figure the problems getting a bill passed are somehow tied to the moronic and confusing political battle over the Mass. Film Bureau and related investigations into Mob corruption of local film sets. Once again, though, it appears the political and criminal ties of Bay State pols have led them to screw the people they supposedly represent. About time that came to an end. Depending on which of several versions of the story you read, there are either two or three films ready to roll into the Bay State if Gov. Mitt Romney signs a tax break bill. Let's hope this job gets done too.

Technical difficulties

Not for the first time this week, I've been unable to log in this morning. But now I'm here and I'll be posting shortly. If I don't, at least you'll know why.

Music: NEC to honor three

Boston Children's Chorus founder Hubie Jones, pianist and "From the Top" host Christopher O'Riley and Suzuki method pioneer Louise Behrend will be honored at New England Conservatory's first annual Prepatory School Gala, Kids in Harmony, on Dec. 1. WCVB's Liz Brunner will host. O'Riley will perform and Ben Zander will conduct one of the youth ensembles to perform at the $250 a head event. For gala tix call Liz Ryan at 617-585-1152 or email lryan@newenglandconservatory.edu. If you just want to attend the concert in Jordan Hall, $25, call 617-585-1260.

More on the Fort Point weirdness

The folks over at Universal Hub assembled some links to the late Kevin McCormick's artwork, although they note correctly that his death in the meth lab/kinky sex mess over in Fort Point will likely overshadow it. They also have a nice little aerial map (scroll down) showing that the location is not really all that close to the Children's Museum, contrary to what you've been hearing on TV.

Theater: Huntington: Special Victims Unit

The Huntington Theatre Company announced today that it's bringing "Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit," the latest incarnation of the popular NYC revue, to the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA Feb. 14-March 12. Tix, $55-$60, go on sale tomorrow at the BU Theatre and BCA box offices, by phone at 617-266-0800 or at huntingtontheatre.org. The show is described as a "scathing homage" to stage favorites from "Spamalot" to "Lion King."

Music: Rounder signs Cottars

They played here Nov. 3 at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport. They're coming back to town March 11 at Symphony Hall. No knock on the Firehouse, but that ought to tell you how fast the reputation of The Cottars is growing. Cambridge's Rounder Records announced today that it has signed the Cape Breton Islanders and will release their self-titled U.S. debut in January, after which they'll go on tour with the Chieftains. OK, maybe having the Chieftains atop the bill explains the Symphony Hall gig. But still. (Dig a little into their bio, and it turns out the Cottars already played the Huntington Avenue venue three years supporting John McDermott.)

According to their Web site, cottars were tenant farmers and rural laborers who "formed the backbone" of Highland Scots society for centuries and in many cases found their way to North America. The Cottars that Rounder has signed are two fleet-fingered brother-sister pairs aged 15-18 who cover both traditional Cape Breton tunes and Tom Waits on their album. All four are singers, multi-instrumentalists and step dancers. And perhaps not coincidentally, they're freakin' adorable. They're huge in Japan. And this looks like a smart move for Rounder, which has signed other teenagers in the past - including Alison Krauss.

More morning papers

I didn't get to the Times until lunch, but if you're following the whole Italian-antiquities scandal/controversy which has begun nipping at the heels of the MFA, you'll want to read this piece from Rome via the International Herald Tribue.