ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey
@ionarts.bsky.social
860 followers 1.1K following 560 posts
Associate Editor and Lead Critic, Washington Classical Review; Founder of Ionarts; Ph.D. in Historical Musicology; Classical Music Fiend; Opera Addict; Baroqueux agréable and Public Musicologist (all views expressed are my own, not those of my employers)
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ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · Feb 8
As a follow-up to the latest bad news, a reminder from Oreo to nap for 16 hours of every day
Photograph of Oreo, a very cute cat
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ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · 8h
Surprised by yet more changes being made (chopped down) at the Kennedy Center, this time on the lower terrace
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
chalkbeat.org
Chalkbeat @chalkbeat.org · 11h
Michigan schools have a big literacy problem. Can new curriculum transparency help fix it?
New Michigan budget bars Count Day financial incentives, requires curriculum transparency
Michigan schools have a big literacy problem. Can new curriculum transparency help fix it?
bit.ly
1 2
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
jsweetli.bsky.social
Jacqueline Sweet @jsweetli.bsky.social · 19h
NEW: A MAGA X account often shared by Senator Mike Lee and House Republicans like Nancy Mace--that often alleges Democrats encourage voting fraud-- is run by a man who not only has never stepped foot in the US, he also illegally donated to an American campaign.

www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
The Viral MAGA Accounts Run by a Man Who Has Never Been to America
Two influential MAGA social media accounts are run by Rumen Naumovski, a Macedonian who may have illegally donated to a U.S. election.
www.rollingstone.com
21 600 1.4K
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
karaswisher.bsky.social
Kara Swisher @karaswisher.bsky.social · 14h
Once a content thief, always a content thief www.theverge.com/news/674366/...
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
www.theverge.com
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
piperformissouri.bsky.social
Jess Piper @piperformissouri.bsky.social · 22h
😂
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bookshop.org
Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 13h
Jeff Bezos might have built a spaceship, but indie bookstores build and nurture whole communities and that is *way* more impressive and valuable.
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
lepoint.fr
Le Point @lepoint.fr · 21h
✏️ Par @xavier-gorce.bsky.social
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
laurahelmuth.bsky.social
Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 21h
Six of the nine Nobel Prize winners this year work in the U.S.
Three of the six were born outside the U.S., which is the pattern most years. No country has benefited more from welcoming immigrants from around the world.
www.nobelprize.org
The official website of the Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org
The Nobel Prize rewards science, humanism and peace efforts. This is one of the central concepts in the will of Alfred Nobel, and it also permeates the outreach activities that have been developed for...
www.nobelprize.org
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keithwdickinson.bsky.social
Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 23h
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
theverge.com
The Verge @theverge.com · May 26
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
mattyglesias.bsky.social
Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 2d
It's inspiring that a person can start a Substack and with nothing more than strong ideas, hard work, and the support of a few billionaires plus a corrupt FCC merger review process achieve a lucrative exit plus power over a television network.
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ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · 2d
Ouch - Alex Ross on Mason Bates's new opera"The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" at the Metropolitan Opera: "the music is stale to the point of indigestibility. The libretto, by Gene Scheer, is little better." www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
A Season of Rage at the Philharmonic and the Met
Gustavo Dudamel conducts John Corigliano’s blistering First Symphony, and Chuck Schumer faces a hostile crowd at the opening night of “Kavalier & Clay,” Alex Ross writes.
www.newyorker.com
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
wonkettemedia.bsky.social
Wonkette @wonkettemedia.bsky.social · 2d
SCOTUS To Ghislaine Maxwell: STAY IN PRISON
And Howard Lutnick says there might be Epstein blackmail tapes?!

By @marciej.bsky.social

www.wonkette.com/p/scotus-to-...
SCOTUS To Ghislaine Maxwell: STAY IN PRISON
And Howard Lutnick says there might be Epstein blackmail tapes?!
www.wonkette.com
1 6 19
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
art.bsky.social
ART @art.bsky.social · 2d
Kandinsky, analytical drawings (Dance Curves)
#art
Kandinsky, analytical drawings (Dance Curves)
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
legorafi.bsky.social
Le Gorafi @legorafi.bsky.social · 2d
Afin de réconcilier tous les partis, le prochain Premier ministre sera un appareil à raclette https://www.legorafi.fr/2025/10/06/afin-de-reconcilier-tous-les-partis-le-prochain-premier-ministre-sera-un-appareil-a-raclette/
Afin de réconcilier tous les partis, le prochain Premier ministre sera un appareil à raclette
Toute l'information selon des sources contradictoires.
www.legorafi.fr
8 110 490
ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · 3d
I haven't heard anything else, but my email is open!
ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · 3d
Last season the National Philharmonic performed under a rotation of guest conductors, which is what will happen again this season
ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · 3d
Oh - wtop.com/local/2025/1...
Former National Philharmonic music director awarded almost $400K in damages after 2024 dismissal - WTOP News
Piotr Gajewski was awarded $391,402 in damages for breach of contract and wrongful termination.
wtop.com
2 1
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
billmckibben.bsky.social
Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 4d
Just noting that this reporting is from the correspondent for that radical rag...The Economist
dlknowles.bsky.social
Daniel Knowles @dlknowles.bsky.social · 4d
I visited the apartment building ICE raided on Tuesday today. Story to come, but you can walk right in. Half of the apartments have no doors on them. Children's stuff abandoned in some flats. *Citizen* residents told me they were arrested and held for hours in zipties. This is America
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
drmlb.bsky.social
Mary Brandt, MD, MDiv @drmlb.bsky.social · 4d
2 44 160
ionarts.bsky.social
Charles T. Downey @ionarts.bsky.social · 4d
Et n'oubliez pas le lapin et les Essais de Montaigne
lepoint.fr
Le Point @lepoint.fr · 4d
Blazer, maille torsadée, chaussures bateau… Le triomphe du style preppy
Blazer, maille torsadée, chaussures bateau… Le triomphe du style preppy
l.lepoint.fr
2
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
anntelnaes.bsky.social
Ann Telnaes @anntelnaes.bsky.social · 4d
36 560 1.5K
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jfallows.bsky.social
James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 4d
This is a very good column by Peggy Noonan in weekend WSJ.

(No sarcasm.)

www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...
Opinion | The Embarrassing Pete Hegseth
The Pentagon needs sober, judicious leadership, not a drama queen who makes things jarring and fevered.
www.wsj.com
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Reposted by Charles T. Downey
kashana.blacksky.app
Kashana @kashana.blacksky.app · 4d
One of the things that sucks about this era is having to think about the racists all the time, because they’re so boring. They have like, three tools in their toolkit, so we get to say things like “oh look, they’re using the hammer again”
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racheldeering.bsky.social
Rachel Deering @racheldeering.bsky.social · 4d
Resharing an old post for #BookWormSat #WorldAnimalDay #Caturday

‘Day and night, soft purr, soft pad,
Pangur Bán has learned his trade.
Day and night, my own hard work
Solves the cruxes, makes a mark.’ Anon ~ C9th monk trans. Heaney.

🖼️ Sydney Smith
An illustration from the children's book The White Cat and the Monk, a retelling of a 9th-century Irish poem "Pangur Bán". The illustration, created by Sydney Smith, depicts a monk sitting in his simple room, holding his white cat, Pangur, on his lap. ‘With my white cat, Pangur’
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olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social
Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 4d
important for us in the US to note: even a solidly right wing government can't ignore this.
apnews.com
The Associated Press @apnews.com · 5d
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
bit.ly
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