NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Philharmonic has named a new executive director to tackle huge financial shortfalls at the nation‘s oldest orchestra.Orchestra officials announced Wednesday that Matthew VanBesien will succeed Zarin Mehta.The 42-year-old VanBesien is currently the managing director of Australia’s Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. VanBesien started his music career playing French horn for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.Mehta, brother of conductor Zubin Mehta, will retire at the end

ATLANTA (AP) ― Jimmy Carter may never have been president if he didn’t go square dancing.The Georgia Democrat credits a rural square dance club he joined in 1953 with helping him win a state Senate seat by a scant 66 votes.“If I hadn’t received support from our square-dancing friends, I would have lost and never become a state senator,’’ he wrote in his latest book, “Through the Years with Jimmy Carter.’’ “And if that had occurred, I never would have run for office again.’’Carter has penned 26 d

NEW YORK (AP) -- Producers of a new play inspired by the Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal at The New York Times have found the actor who will play the disgraced ex-journalist.The Atlantic Theater Company said Wednesday that Kobi Libii will play a Blair-like Times reporter in the world premiere of Gabe McKinley‘s play ``CQ/CX.’‘Libii, a Yale graduate and alumnus of Second City in Chicago, was in ``Perfect Harmony’‘ at the Acorn Theatre and ``The Tempest’‘ at the Porpentine Theater.The rest of the

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) ― Online film and television show titan Netflix will make its original programming debut in February with “Lilyhammer,” a “fish-out-of-water story” about a New York mobster starting anew in Norway.Steven Van Zandt, a guitarist in Bruce Springsteen’s famed E Street Band, stars as Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano, who enters a federal witness protection to be given a new identity after providing authorities, according to Netflix.“I am very careful with my choices and this project was

ROME (AFP) ― A Japanese businessman has agreed to invest around one million euros ($1.3 million) to restore a 2,000-year-old Roman pyramid in the Italian capital, La Repubblica daily reported this week. Yuzo Yagi, a fashion business owner from Osaka, is due to sign the agreement later this month and work on the pyramid, which was built in 18-12 B.C. as a tomb for a wealthy Roman, Gaius Cestius, is set to start in April, officials said.“His dream is to leave a mark in our country,” Rita Paris, wh

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― The historical epic “War Horse,’’ the Deep South drama “The Help,’’ the silent film “The Artist’’ and the wedding comedy “Bridesmaids’’ are in the running for top honors from the Producers Guild of America.Also nominated Tuesday for the guild’s big film prize are two George Clooney tales: the family drama “The Descendants’’ and the political saga “The Ides of March.’’ Two Paris stories made the cut, the family adventure “Hugo’’ and the romantic fantasy “Midnight in Paris.’’Rou

LONDON (AP) ― Two of Britain’s art superstars are squabbling about whether it’s acceptable to use assistants to create works of art.The argument pits painter David Hockney, just awarded Britain’s prestigious Order of Merit, against conceptual artist Damien Hirst.Hockney uses the poster for his upcoming Royal Academy show to state that all the works on exhibit were “made by the artist himself.’’Radio Times magazine reported Tuesday that Hockney said in an interview that the comment was directed a

LONDON (AFP) ― British artist David Hockney has responded to his appointment to the Order of Merit with typical humor, saying he was glad his controversial campaign for smokers’ rights had not worked against him.Hockney, who came to prominence during the British pop art movement in the 1960s, was named as a member of the exclusive order on Sunday by Queen Elizabeth II.Accepting the royal honor is a turnaround for the 74-year-old who famously turned down a knighthood in 1990, has refused to paint