The Skill and Danger of Twirling

Bill Raymond has long worked with the collaborative theater troupe Mabou Mines. Their recent production, Cold Harbor, in which Raymond stars, is about Ulysses S. Grant.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz has cautious admiration for the Kronos Quartet, which exclusively plays pieces from the 20th century. He says the members are excellent performers who often fail to explore the true depths of their chosen repertoire.

Language commentator recalls how he learned Italian by watching dubbed American movies while studying abroad, and considers why Italian filmgoers prefer dubbing over subtitles.