08 July,2020 06:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Ashish Raje
As heavy rain lashed the city, two boys were stranded on a water-logged road in Chembur on Tuesday. Pic/Ashish Raje
Former New York Times journalist and administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, American Dana Canedy has been appointed senior vice-president and publisher of Simon & Schuster (S&S), one of the world's marquee publishing imprints.
"With God's Grace, I am looking forward to this new "chapter" of my career! Sorry, couldn't resist [sic]!" Canedy tweeted, while Rahul Srivastava, MD, S&S India, shared, "In our 96-year history, the S&S imprint has been led by only a dozen publishers, starting with Richard L Simon. Dana Canedy is the youngest person, first woman, and first person of colour to serve as administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes. We believe Dana will be an agent of change who will bring new voices."
It's been repeated ad nauseam that the pandemic has brought the creative industry down to its knees. Now, there is data to validate the extent of the damage. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Art X Company and The British Council India recently compiled a report called Taking the Temperature.
It reveals how 53 per cent of the events and entertainment management sector had 90 per cent of their business cancelled between March and July 2020. In the long run, 88 per cent expect their businesses to be impacted. "With little support or state subsidy, there is an urgency to address the situation," said Art X Company founder Rashmi Dhanwani.
Pic/The music solidarity project/youtube
As part of The Music Solidarity Project, 55 opera houses, theatres, cultural institutions and about 500 musicians from all over the world - both world-class artistes and passionate amateurs - embarked on a non-profit initiative to send a message of hope this month.
The ensemble that featured 10 musicians from India, including Mumbai-based soprano Farah Ghadiali, performed Verdi's Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from the opera Nabucco, and the video has notched over 6,000 views on YouTube so far.
The experience was also made more accessible with Italian sign language interpreters on board. "I got to know about the project via a Facebook post. The piece, drawn from the oppression of Hebrew slaves, really gives a message of being together and achieving victory," Ghadiali told this diarist.
Anuradha Joshi Medhora started Charoli Foods as a step to revive the closely guarded gastronomic heritage from the royal kitchens of Malwa. For four months, it operated out of Flea Bazaar Café's The Cameo Kitchen but when the pandemic hit, they had to shut shop. Now, they have started deliveries out of their home kitchen for the first time, from Colaba to Andheri.
"I wanted to start work, but also wanted to ensure I could send hygienic, fresh food that I could cook from the safety of my kitchen," Medhora said. Plus, they have a separate menu for each day with treats like daal maas and maas ka zarda pulav, to ensure you get your food fresh. Call 9833549949 to place an order.
Decade-old Gillo Repertory Theatre will be moving out of its storeroom, Shaili Sathyu, its artistic director confirmed with this diarist. "The lockdown has brought our income to a halt. It's become impractical to store everything that we have collected over the last decade in an affordable space. This move will cut our losses. But it isn't goodbye. We wish to continue practising theatre."
Sathyu added that until children are back in school, this is temporary. "We are giving away many props and costumes. The hope remains that we will tide over this pandemic and resume theatre again," she signed off.
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