Save the Arts

My favorite spot in Lucca, Italy

I was very upset to hear that the summer program that I participated in last year and loved so much has tanked in this poor economy. I had the time of my life making new friends, indulging in gelato, and pretending to be una italiana in the quaint town of Lucca. My friends from the program seem to be suffering from the same nostalgia - we can't let go of our fantastic summer. It pains me to think that no fresh-faced American kids will be falling in love with opera there this summer. 

The Baltimore Opera Company recently filed for Chapter 11 and cancelled the rest of their season. Theaters on Broadway are closing, shows are having shorter runs, regional theaters are putting up shows with smaller casts to cut back on costs. Jobs are tight, competition is even fiercer. 

I would think that in a time of economic hardship, the arts would thrive. Sure, its not a necessity, but don't people want to be distracted? Looking back at the Great Depression, Gone with the Wind came out in 1939. According to Wikipedia, it is the highest grossing film of all time. Shirley Temple danced her way all through the 1930s, and her curls didn't seem to wilt too much.