Conservatory soars, plus "bestiality and Smurfs"

Two must-reads in the Globe this morning. The first is Geoff's page-one takeout on the Boston New England Conservatory ramping up its adoption of the Venezuelan music-education program La Sistema. This is a smart, terrific idea to bring to the USA the program that gave life to the famous Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, whose most famous alum is new Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel. Then, on a very much less high-minded note, you can turn to my theater column, which is about "Valet of the Dolls," the latest pop culture massacre from the Gold Dust Orphans (right). My lede: In a conversation that touches on bestiality, the Smurfs, and giant tap-dancing hypodermic needles, the funniest thing Ryan Landry says is this: “I don’t do minimalism.’’ ... Actually I take that back. Three must-reads. Joan Anderman on the Boston Book Festival, too.

Comments

[Michael Pahre]

New England Conservatory, not Boston Conservatory.