When Amadeus, the Great Pyrenees Mountain dog, finds three cats living under a hat, he happily befriends them.

We celebrate Shakespeare as a creator of plays and poems, characters and ideas, words and worlds. But so too, in the four centuries since his death in 1616, have thinkers, writers, artists and performers recreated him. Readers of this book are invited to explore Shakespeare's afterlife on the stage and on the screen, in poetry, fiction, music and dance, as well as in cultural and intellectual life. A series of concise introductory essays are here combined with personal reflections by prominent contemporary practitioners of the arts. At once a celebration and a critical response, the book explores Shakespeare as a global cultural figure who continues to engage artists, audiences and readers of all kinds. Includes contributions from: John Ashbery, Shaul Bassi, Simon Russell Beale, Sally Beamish, David Bintley, Michael Bogdanov, Kenneth Branagh, Debra Ann Byrd, John Caird, Antoni Cimolino, Wendy Cope, Gregory Doran, Margaret Drabble, Dominic Dromgoole, Ellen Geer, Michael Holroyd, Gordon Kerry, John Kinsella, Juan Carlos Liberti, Lachlan Mackinnon, David Malouf, Javier Marías, Yukio Ninagawa, Janet Suzman, Salley Vickers, Rowan Williams, Lisa Wolpe, Greg Wyatt. All proceeds from the sale of this volume will be donated to the International Shakespeare Association, to support the study and appreciation of Shakespeare around the world.

Disassembling the Celebrity Figure: Credibility and the Incredible questions the credibility of celebrity brands, exploring how fandoms depend on perceptions and representations of authenticity. It asks how authenticity is projected by global celebrities, and how fans consume these carefully curated personas, and explores how the media breaks down barriers between celebrities and fans. It presents a discussion of celebrities as brands, exploring how their images are maintained after they pass away. It also offers analysis of the ways in which historical figures are later reconstructed as celebrities, and explores how their images are circulated and consumed across contemporary media. Ultimately, the book examines authenticity in celebrity culture by looking at fandom, media representation, branding and celebrity deaths. Contributors are Marie Josephine Bennett, Lise Dilling-Nielsen, Kylo-Patrick R. Hart, Mingyi Hou, Renata Iwicka, Ephraim Das Janssen, Magdalen Wing-Chi Ki, Celia Lam, Mirella Longo, Aliah Mansor, Jackie Raphael and Millicent Weber.

Publisher description

(Amadeus). Created on the occasion of the Juilliard School's 100th anniversary in 2005, this book offers an unprecedented look at Juilliard's historic stringed instrument collection. The collection, assembled over the course of the last century through generous gifts of instruments and funds to the school, is vividly represented by photographic and narrative accounts of 25 instruments (and three bows) of particular historic interest by such illustrious makers as Amati, Bergonzi, Guadagnini, Guarneri, Stradivari, and others, as well as reproductions of historic documents and an annotated list of other instruments and bows. Among the featured instruments are a Stradivarius violin that once belonged to a Russian czar and was later owned by Avery Fisher, a Guarneri del Gesu violin played by a member of the Viennese quartet that premiered many of Beethoven's and Schubert's works in that genre, and a Stradivarius cello previously owned by Hugo Becker, head of the Berlin Hochschule fur Musik. Short essays sketch the history of Juilliard and its illustrious string department, and describe the crucial role of the Instrumental Loan Program, which allows students to borrow instruments for special performances and competitions as well as for longer-term use. The book includes a foreword by renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, a Juilliard alumnus and holder of the school's Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair since 1999.

Classical Composers: Lives and Legacies is an expansive journey through the lives and works of the most influential figures in classical music history. From the Baroque masters like Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, through the revolutionary works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, to the modern innovations of Philip Glass and Arvo Pärt, this book delves into the fascinating stories and enduring legacies of these musical giants. Each chapter offers insights into different eras and styles, examining the social, cultural, and technological contexts that shaped their compositions. Perfect for both classical music enthusiasts and those new to the genre, this book provides a comprehensive and engaging overview of the art form that has profoundly influenced our world.