HubArts.com

NEC's foreign policy

Two New England Conservatory students who graduated Sunday are headed overseas on Fulbright Scholarships: Bass and lately sitar player Joshua Feinberg will head to Jaipur to study Indian classical music, while cellist Danielle Cho wil travel to Spain to study with Pablo Casals' godson. Really.

Get your twang on

Trisha Yearwood, Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Oct. 12. Tix, $33.50-$53.50, on sale June 2 at 10 a.m. at the box office and Ticketmaster.

It's only a movie

Two Globe pieces give an interesting picture of the Boston production scene: "So Why Are Boston Movies Getting Shot in Canada?" (in the business section) and Names & Faces. Names has an item about Ben Affleck, who is starting production on a big-screen version of local author Dennis Lehane's "Gone Baby Gone" in Southie. He's seen hugging a longtime Teamster transportation coordinator who played a judge in "Good Will Hunting" and appeared in several other Boston-shot flicks after being acquitted of two "gangland slayings" in the 1980s. ... Names also has an item on a possible Gillette Stadium shoot for a flick starring The Rock, which is the lede in the Track.

The morning papers: Norton! NORTON!

The Elliot Norton Awards were handed out last night. The Globe's report is here. The Herald's report is here. ... Both papers go all Idol-riffic on us, pairing off writers to assess finalists Taylor and Katharine, with the Herald scribes choosing a favorite and the Globies choosing an un-favorite. The best of the four pieces - or at least the one I read out loud at coffee this morning - is my former Herald pal Sarah Rodman's hilarious beatdown of Taylor Hicks. "Whinnying wanna-Doobie." Love it. But the Herald actually does a little reporting, as Chris Treacy tracks down Katharine's teachers at the Boston Conservatory. ...

Not not not not a disappointment

A Globe rave for the new Mission of Burma album is here. And a Phoenix report on the Burma-ites' DJ gig last week is here, with downloads.

Whereabouts the maestro? UPDATED

The Exhibitionist asks a good question. AND answers it.

The morning papers

There's a Tanglewood summer forecast in the Globe ... and a nice Teo Leyasmeyer obit.

But it's the Herald that has my favorite Boston theater story ever, by hard-newsie Jessica Heslam, detailing the casting call for a play about Whitey Bulger's life as a fugitive (left). Playwright Jimmy Sullivan imagines the gangster cross-dressing to sneak out of his lair and buy the Herald. “We are looking for an elderly actor who is not afraid to throw on some support hose and a nappy old bra to portray the legendary gangster,” the ad reads. And if that's not fun enough, the playwright is looking for an actual midget, or possibly a dwarf, to play "corrupt midget" Billy Bulger. If I were these guys, I'd make sure they have their permits in order well before opening night.

Remembering Teo

This came in while I was away from the desk:

TEO LEYASMEYER MEMORIAL  SERVICE: SAT. MAY 27, 2006   2PM
HANCOCK UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 1912 MASS. AVE  (NEAR PAUL REVERE STATUE AND LEXINGTON GREEN) LEXINGTON, MA 02421
FLOWERS ONLY TO CHURCH

DONATIONS AND CARDS  - SEND TO:
TEO LEYASMEYER FAMILY FUND
% HEGE LEYASMEYER
11 HAMBLEN ST.
LEXINGTON, MA 02421

Deal or no deal

I don't know why it cracks me up that this is happening the same week "The Da Vinci Code" hits the big screen. Maybe because New Hampshire author  Dan Brown's previous book, "Angels and Demons," is set in Rome. But MFA and Italian officials met in that city this week to try to sort out their issues over artworks in the museum's collection that were looted  (or not). And apparently all they've agreed on so far is to stiff the media. There's more action looming, according to the Exhibitionist.

I just like saying imbroglio

Here's Business Week's take on the looted-art imbroglio that has MFA officials meeting the Italians today.