Author Archives: Neil Kurtzman
Rossi’s Laws of Evaluation
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 25th March 20121. The Stainless Steel Law: The better designed the outcome evaluation, the less effective the intervention seems. 2. The Iron Law: The expected value of any impact assessment of any large scale social programme is zero. 3. The Brass Law: The more social programs are designed to change individuals, the more likely the net impact…
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Better Human Beings
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 23rd March 2012“Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made.”–Immanuel Kant President Obama’s choice to be the next President of the World Bank is Dartmouth President Dr. Jim Yong Kim. Dr Kim is a physician who is fond of quoting his predecessor at Dartmouth John Sloan Dickey: “The world’s troubles are your…
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Roumania, Roumania
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 18th March 2012Aaron Lebedeff was a Yiddish vaudeville performer whose prime was 1920-40. Born in Russia in 1873, he arrived in the US in 1920. His American career was launched by the great Yiddish actor/impresario Boris Thomashefsky – the grandfather of conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. Lebedeff’s performances were filled almost maniacal energy and zany intensity. This is best…
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Prostate Cancer Redux – Again
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 17th March 2012Even Scientific American has gotten into the act. An article by Harvard oncologist Marc B Garnick says, “Evidence shows that screening [for prostate cancer] does more harm than good.” Go here for an interview with Dr Garnick. Why this great awakening about the unsatisfactory effects of PSA screening? It’s the result of reality seepage and the…
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The Pearl Fishers Duet
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 16th March 2012Bizet’s opera, Les pêcheurs de perles, is gradually creeping into the operatic mainstream. The composer was only 25 when he wrote the work; it was not a great success; but it’s hung around the periphery of the standard repertory for almost a century and a half. The Santa Fe Opera will stage it this summer as will the Opéra-Comique. The tenor-baritone duet (‘Au fond du…
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La Traviata Program Notes
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 1st March 2012Below are the program notes I wrote for the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Verdi’s La Traviata March 2 and 3, 2012. La Traviata was Giuseppe Verdi’s 19th opera. Though the composer was dissatisfied with its initial run, the opera rapidly established itself as his most popular work. Indeed, it may be the most popular opera even…
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Ernani in HD
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 25th February 2012Today (Saturday Feb 25, 2012) the Metropolitan Opera presented Verdi’s Ernani on it’s HD network. There was something about a Spanish setting that set Verdi’s creative fire at conflagration level. Ernani in style and color most closely resembles Il Trovatore, though of course, it’s not as inspired even if its plot is almost as crazy. Verdi was…
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Recording of the Week: Furtwängler Conducts Brahms
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 24th February 2012Brahms is harder to conduct than any other major composer. This difficulty arises because there’s more to his works than the surface of the score indicates. A conductor has to have this music in his heart in addition to his head. A strict literal reading of his music leads to pedestrian performances. A good example…
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Robert Cooke Kimbrough, III, MD – In Memorium
Written by Neil Kurtzman | 20th February 2012Below is an memorial tribute to Dr Robert Kimbrough written by Don Wesson and me following the death of Dr Kimbrough. It was published by both the American Journal of Medical Sciences and the Texas chapter of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Robert Kimbrough died on November 24, 2010. For the past 17 years, he was…
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