Watch the LACMA rock's 11-night adventure [video]

The tale of a 350-ton piece of granite traveling from a quarry in Riverside County to the campus of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art captivated much of Southern California over the last two weeks.

Now: the video.

Times videographer Jeff Amlotte joined the caravan during its 11-night trip, capturing the sounds and scenes, the tight squeezes and the growing crowds.

The shrink-wrapped boulder was carried on a custom transporter across four counties. Its eventual resting place will be as the centerpiece of the museum's permanent art installation "Levitated Mass" by reclusive Nevada artist Michael Heizer.

The museum paid $70,000 for the rock itself and is spending $10 million to transport it and build the public art work -- all paid for with private donations.

MAP: Follow the route

And in case you missed it Sunday night, here's a first person story by Times reporter Deborah Vankin about her own adventure with the caravan.

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--Sherry Stern

Twitter.com/@sherrystern

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Following the big rock as it arrives at LACMA, tweet by tweet

March 10, 2012 |  9:40 am

 

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Culture Monster has followed the 11-day journey of LACMA's giant boulder across four counties with reporter Deborah Vankin. She has kept us up to date with her blog posts, stories and several all-nighters of live tweeting.

Vankin was on the scene again Friday night into Saturday morning as the long, wide caravan traveled the final leg of its 105-mile trip from a Riverside County quarry to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The evening began on Figueroa Street between 63rd and 65th streets.

Along the way, the rock encountered illegally parked cars, low-hanging traffic signals, giant palm trees, gawkers who were both amazed and befuddled, and one former Laker who got to ride along with the rock.

For those just catching up: The 340-ton boulder is protected in shrink wrap and sits in a steel sling on a custom transporter. Its eventual resting place will be as the centerpiece of the museum's permanent art installation, "Leviated Mass," by Nevada artist Michael Heizer. The museum paid $70,000 for the rock itself and is spending $10 million to transport it and build the art installation -- all paid with private donations.

Following the big rock as it arrives at LACMA, tweet by tweet

Culture Monster has followed the 11-day journey of LACMA's giant boulder across four counties with reporter Deborah Vankin. She has kept us up to date with her blog posts, stories and several all-nighters of live tweeting.

Vankin was on the scene again Friday night into Saturday morning as the long, wide caravan traveled the final leg of its 105-mile trip from a Riverside County quarry to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

The evening began on Figueroa Street between 63rd and 65th streets.

Along the way, the rock encountered illegally parked cars, low-hanging traffic signals, giant palm trees, gawkers who were both amazed and befuddled, and one former Laker who got to ride along with the rock.

For those just catching up: The 340-ton boulder is protected in shrink wrap and sits in a steel sling on a custom transporter. Its eventual resting place will be as the centerpiece of the museum's permanent art installation, "Leviated Mass," by Nevada artist Michael Heizer. The museum paid $70,000 for the rock itself and is spending $10 million to transport it and build the art installation -- all paid with private donations.

For those who have been captivated by the effort, here is a recap of Vankin's final night of tweets and photos, including one of that former Laker.

 

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Following LACMA's big rock through Long Beach, tweet by tweet

-- Sherry Stern

Twitter.com/@sherrystern

Photo: Ludy Hurtado of Los Angeles takes a muscle pose with the massive plastic shrink-wrapped LACMA rock as it stopped on Wilshire Boulevard. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Following LACMA's big rock through Long Beach, tweet by tweet

The circuitous 11-day journey of LACMA's giant boulder finished its most challenging route yet Thursday morning, squeezing through the busy byways of Long Beach.

Los Angeles Times reporter Deborah Vankin has been following the rock's trip and live tweeted from the scene starting Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.

The $10-million caravan was celebrated first with a block party in the neighborhood of Bixby Knolls and ended its travels in the middle of a street in Carson.

PHOTOS: Giant rock rolling toward LACMA

The 105-mile journey is scheduled to end up at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art early Saturday. The giant boulder eventually will be the focal point of artist Michael Heizer's landmark sculpture "Levitated Mass" on the museum grounds.

Here, for those who were not following Vankin in the middle of the night, is a recap of her tweets and photos.

RELATED:

MAP: Follow the route

Full coverage:  LACMA's rock

On the road with LACMA's big rock, minute by minute

-- Sherry Stern
twitter.com/sherrystern

Photo: Long Beach residents gather on the sidealk in the 3600 block of Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, where the LACMA rock paused Wednesday on its journey. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Pau Gasol says hello to Placido Domingo after Lakers beat Heat

Three Spanish talents finished up afternoon performances Sunday and then aligned backstage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

After helping the Lakers put away the Miami Heat at Staples Center, Pau Gasol headed a few miles north to catch the final act of L.A. Opera's "Simon Boccanegra," starring Plácido Domingo.

Another Spaniard happened to be in town as well and stopped by to make it a Spanish trifecta of sorts. After conducting his third concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Pablo Heras-Casado went across the street to greet his fellow countrymen.

Gasol has spoken in the past of his appreciation of opera in general and the superstar tenor in particular. And Domingo is an avid sports fan -- he has attended Lakers games, he sang the National Anthem before a Dodgers game last season and most enthusiastically supported Spain's World Cup champion team.

When are the 2012 Tony Awards?

Now that the Oscars are over we can move on to Broadway's big night, the 2012 Tony Awards.

"The 66th Annual Tony Awards" will take place on June 10 in a three-hour ceremony at New York's Beacon Theatre. The show will be broadcast at 8 p.m. on CBS --  live on the East Coast and tape-delayed on the West Coast. Nominations will be announced May 1.

On Wednesday, the American Theatre Wing announced the full Tony season calendar for its annual  awards:

April 26: Official cut-off for 2011-12 Tony eligibility.

May 1: The Tony Award nomination announcement will take place at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center at Lincoln Center. A live webcast of the event will be available at www.TonyAwards.com. 

May 2: The annual  "Meet the Nominees Press Reception"  will take place at the Millennium Broadway Times Square. 

May 31: The Tony Nominee luncheon will be held at the InterContinental Times Square Hotel. At the closed-to-the-media event, nominees will gather and receive their nomination certificates.

June 9: The "Tony Eve Cocktail Party," which presents the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre and recognizes special award recipients, will take place at the InterContinental Times Square Hotel. 

June 10: "The 66th Annual Tony Awards" takes place at 8 p.m. at the Beacon Theatre. The awards will be followed by the private Tony Gala.

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-- Sherry Stern

Photo: The Tony Awards will take place June 10. Credit: CBS

On the road with LACMA's big rock, minute by minute

After months of delays, a massive rock heading to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art got underway Tuesday night. The 340-ton granite boulder and its caravan are weaving their way from a quarry in Riverside to the midtown museum.

The 105-mile journey is expected to take 11 days -- nights actually, as the traveling will be done between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

MAP: Follow the route

The giant boulder eventually will be the focal point of artist Michael Heizer's  landmark sculpture, "Levitated Mass," on the grounds of LACMA.

During the first leg, the caravan traveled 4 to 5 mph, with dozens of workers from Emmert International, the company handling transportation of the boulder, traveling on foot behind the rock. It has stopped for the day in the town of Glen Avon.

Joining the first leg was Los Angeles Times reporter Deborah Vankin, who live-tweeted from the scene until early Wednesday. Here, for those who were not following in the middle of the night, is a recap of her tweets and photos.

 

 

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-- Sherry Stern

Photo: Mark Albrecht of Emmert International, the company handling the transportation of 340-ton boulder checks it out on its first stop in Glen Avon. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Oil-rich Qatar pays record $250 million for painting

In a reminder of the heady days of high-priced art sales, Cezanne's "The Card Players" has sold for more than $250 million, a record price for any work of art.

But it hasn't gone to a major museum such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée d’Orsay, the Courtauld or the Barnes Foundation. Those institutions already own works from Cezanne's series depicting card players. This one is owned by the oil-rich country of Qatar.

Word just leaked out on the 2011 sale from a private collector, and was reported by Vanity Fair's website. The sale price leaves the old record -- reportedly $140 million paid for a Jackson Pollock in the pre-recession year of 2006 -- in the dust.

Yes, "$250 million is a fortune," fine arts appraiser Victor Wiener told Vanity Fair. "But you take any art-history course and a 'Card Players' is likely in it. It's a major, major image."

The sale had been rumored for months, he told the magazine, and now "everyone will use this price as a point of departure; it changes the whole art-market structure."

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's "The Card Players" depicts four men and is believed to be the first in the series by the French post-Impressionist. Next came a larger version, which includes a small child, in the Barnes Foundation in Pennsylvania. The last three depict just two card players.

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-- Sherry Stern

Image: "The Card Players," 1890-95 (oil on canvas). Credit: Musee d'Orsay, / Giraudon / The Bridgeman Art Library International

Taylor Swift won't be in movie version of 'Les Miserables'

 

Taylor Swift might be golden when it comes to selling her music and winning trophies, but the popular country singer has lost out on the role of the tragic Eponine in the all-star movie version of "Les Miserables."

Swift lost the role to British actress Samantha Barks. Others who were reportedly considered for the part included Lea Michele, Evan Rachel Wood and Scarlett Johansson.

Cameron Mackintosh, the producer of the original stage and upcoming film version of "Les Miz," announced the news Tuesday evening at a theater in London where Barks was performing in "Oliver!"

Barks became known through Mackintosh's talent TV show, "I'll Do Anything," which aired in Britain and the United States. She finished third in the reality-show competition, which cast the role of Nancy for Mackintosh's stage production of "Oliver!"

The official "Les Miserables" Twitter account followed up Mackintosh's announcement with this tweet: "Big news: @SamanthaBarks will be Eponine in the Mis film! Mr Mackintosh knows how to pull off a coup de theatre, eh?"

Barks followed up with this tweet: "Words cannot express how much I appreciate all the amazing support I have received from everyone! I haven't stopped smiling!! :) :)"

Tom Hooper is set to direct the film. Already announced in the cast: Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert, Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier, Eddie Redmayne as Marius, Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, Anne Hathaway as Fantine and Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thenardier. 

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-- Sherry Stern

twitter.com/sherrystern

[For the record.: An early version of this story misspelled Samantha Barks.]

Photo: Taylor Swift. Credit: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times

Violist Lukas Kmit stylishly answers ringing cellphone problem [Updated]

The cellphone heard round the world seemed to be the one that rang inside Avery Fisher Hall a few weeks ago during a concert by the New York Philharmonic when conductor Alan Gilbert stopped a performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony over a ringing iPhone. "Are you finished?" the conductor asked the culprit.

While theatergoers know these phone interruptions and reactions happen all the time, the Gilbert incident became a talker after it  was tweeted, then Facebooked, then journalized and eventually CNN'd.

But that was nothing compared with the creative response of violist Lukas Kmit while performing at a Jewish Orthodox synagogue in Presov, Slovakia. No surprise that this video of Kmit has gone viral. (Thanks for the tip from Tim Mangan on his Classical Life blog.)

UPDATED: Forgive our original headline on this story. As an observant reader has pointed out, the YouTube description is wrong and Kmit is playing a viola, not a violin.

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-- Sherry Stern

Faces to Watch in 2012: Theater, art, music, dance and more

As is our tradition at the start of a year, the arts staff has started filling up our calendar with some of the performances and works we are looking forward to seeing in the months ahead.

From there we've selected some of the people we'll be paying attention to in theater, dance, architecture, art, classical music and jazz.

The 2012 lists of Faces to Watch include a mix of newcomers as well as veterans taking new risks, one unknown face and a thousand-plus others.

2012 Preview: The year in arts and culture

Faces to Watch in 2012: Pop music, classical and jazz

Faces to Watch in 2012: Dance, theater, architecture and art

-- Sherry Stern 

twitter.com/sherrystern

Photos, from left: Benjamin Millepied, choreographer; Telly Leung, actor; Simone Dinnerstein, pianist. Credits: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times; the Old Globe; Lisa-Marie Mazzucco