Jerome Weeks

The past two years, so many arts groups in North Texas have had to find new directors, managing directors and CEOs that people have wondered if there was something wrong — with the Arts District? With Dallas in general? KERA’s Jerome Weeks reports it’s not an Arts District problem, not a North Texas problem.

Worldwide, more than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981. The epidemic has prompted tonight's performance at the Winspear Opera House, the largest collaboration on a single stage event in North Texas history. KERA’s Jerome Weeks talks to three of the artists involved in A Gathering.

TED stands for ‘technology, entertainment and design’ – and the national conference has been so popular, it's spun-off such local offshoots as TEDxSMU.The third annual TEDx SMU conference is tomorrow -- and it's already sold out, although there are viewing parties scheduled around North Texas. The conference is meant to foster talk about innovations most of us haven’t heard about yet. Speaking of hearing, KERA’s Jerome Weeks talks to one TEDxSMU speaker about controversial innovations in sound.

Your gallery -- that is, your guest room -- awaits The City of Dallas’ new convention center hotel opens today. The City hopes the Omni Hotel will help the local economy. Good or bad, it’s already boosted North Texas artists’ bottom line. KERA’s Jerome Weeks reports the hotel displays more than 6,700 examples of their original artwork.

Dallas, TX – Unless fortunes change, the Dallas Symphony will run out of money in late January. Last night Dallas Symphony Board Chairman Blaine Nelson told a group of top donors that based on current revenue and expenses, the symphony will be insolvent within 90 days.

An early success of playwright Sam Shepard’s was his dark 1980 comedy,True West. Now the Undermain Theatre is presenting the Southwest premiere of Shepard’s latest, Ages of the Moon. In his review, KERA’s Jerome Weeks says it’s as if True West’s characters grew old – but never grew up.

Students can now hear more than one opera company in the Dallas Arts District. KERA’s Jerome Weeks reports the Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet High School is the only campus outside of New York with access to live performances by the Metropolitan Opera.

[excited chatter, crowd noises continue under]

It’s late on a Saturday morning. Students and teachers from all over Dallas have filled the cafeteria of the Arts Magnet High School to see Mozart’s Don Giovanni. It’s the first of four Met performances to be projected at Booker T this school year.