“The first idea is that art should be for art’s sake - a ridiculous idea - an idea that art should live in a hermetic bubble and should not try to do anything with this troubled world. I couldn’t disagree more.
The other thing that we believe is that art shouldn’t explain itself, that artists shouldn’t say what they’re up to, because if they said it, it might destroy the spell and we might find it too easy. That’s why a very common feeling when you’re in a museum - let’s admit it - is, “I don’t know what this is about.” But if we’re serious people, we don’t admit to that. But that feeling of puzzlement is structural to contemporary art (…)
Art is about two things in all the major faiths. Firstly, it’s trying to remind you of what there is to love. And secondly, it’s trying to remind you of what there is to fear and to hate. And that’s what art is.”
Variety wrote a great article on Caroline Hirsch - owner, producer and founder of one of the most important comedy clubs in the country: Caroline’s on Broadway. I had an amazing opportunity to meet Caroline and perform at her club during WQXR’s Classical Comedy Contest - a part of 2011 New York Comedy Festival. Read the entire article on Variety.com
After the show at Caroline’s on Broadway with comedian Robert Klein, Peter Schickele of PDQ Bach, Charles Hamlen of IMG Artists, Elliott Forrest of WQXR and Caroline Hirsch.
“Laughter is the shortest distance between two people” - Victor Borge
This rare documentary reveals the unknown side of one of the most innovative and influential concert artists of the 20th century. One of Victor Borge’s achievements was the difficult, almost impossible, task of combining classical music with a different discipline. Mr. Borge introduced an element of surprise and comedy to a serious concert: the sense of unexpected, of wonder, the feeling that anything, at any given moment in time, could happen and he would make sure it would be the most wonderful, joyful moment of your life. Perfectionist in his craft, Mr. Borge was an old-fashioned gentleman that lived life, on and off stage, to its fullest. He’s irreplaceable, he’s my personal inspiration and he will be greatly missed for a long time.
The task of art is to transform what is continuously happening to us, to transform all these things into symbols, into music, into something which can last in man’s memory. That is our duty. If we don’t fulfill it, we feel unhappy.
