Classical
Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Public Television Host New Year's Eve Party
Music Soup for the Soul: Church of the Holy Apostles Serves Music Along with Pudding at Its Soup Kitchen
On the corner of West 28th Street, along the throngs of homeless stretching down Ninth Avenue from the Church of the Holy Apostles, more than just soup is being served to the downtrodden. Featuring players like Scott Croly, a piano also appears on the menu.As is with most New York public outreach programs for the homeless, the halls of the church are clad with almost all men, coming in different sizes but all looking for a bite to eat. The tunes that resonate from a piano in the hall, though, offer a change of pace to some of the guests.According to "The New York Times," familiar pieces come from the piano, the likes of "I've Got You Under My Skin," "New York, New York" and others from the American Songbook. Scott Croly, Barry Weiss, George Van Pelt and others sit behind the keys and entertain the guests — and guests they are, too. Opera Star Montserrat Caballé Receives Six-Month Suspended Prison Sentence and a €240,000 Fine for Tax Evasion
Opera star Montserrat Caballé has reached a deal with the public prosecutor in Spain to receive a six-month suspended prison sentence and a 240,000 euro — or $291,814.80 — fine for defrauding the Spanish tax office of 500,000 euros — or $607,947.50.It is unlikely that Caballé will ultimately serve any jail time for tax evasion, given that the sentence is under two years and she has no prior convictions. The Spanish soprano has already returned the defrauded 500,000 euros to the Tax Agency and signed the agreement drawn up by the public prosecutor. The document will have to be ratified before the criminal court judge to avoid the case going to trial.The 81-year-old Caballé reportedly pretended to be living most of the year in Andorra, which is a tax haven, meaning she obtained substantial reductions in her annual return for the year 2010 on earnings from her live shows and recorded albums.But in reality, she was living in Barcelona and only visited Andorra for professional reasons.Sources close to Caballé say the soprano is not in good health and rarely leaves her house.
