By JERUSALEM POST STAFFChagall sale to benefit J'lem Foundation
A sketch by Marc Chagall will be auctioned off by the Jerusalem Foundation at New York auction house Christie's on Monday, along with works by members of the Artists Workshops in Jerusalem.
The Chagall sketch is one of several items up for sale from the collection of former Jerusalem mayor and Jerusalem Foundation founder Teddy Kollek. Chagall drew the sketch during a visit to Kollek's home in the late Sixties. Several works by renowned Jerusalem artist Dudu Gerstein will also be included in the auction, as well as a painting by Kollek's daughter, Osnat Sachs. Proceeds from the auction will help to subsidize youth trips to the Tower of David Museum, with tours designed to promote education and strong ties to the city. - Ruben BrosbeClarkson relents, lets 'Idol' use songs
Former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, subject to a scolding from contest judge Simon Cowell for not letting her songs be used by new contestants on the show, has agreed to do so. A spokesman said Wednesday that Clarkson's management was negotiating with the show over which songs will be used, a day after saying that Clarkson was not allowing any of her songs to be licensed for other purposes. The spokesman said that he had not been informed by her management that negotiations were under way, and that Clarkson would allow use of her songs on a "case-by-case basis." "I think that by ignoring the show you're ignoring the audience who put you there," Cowell had said Tuesday. Clarkson has become a major star in the past year, with her hit "Since U Been Gone" earning both massive sales and critical respect and winning her a loyal fan following in Israel. Her album Breakaway earned a Grammy nomination for best pop vocal album. With the encouragement of Danny Weissfeld, her band's Israeli guitarist, Clarkson announced plans for a spring concert in Israel at the end of last year. Details have not yet been announced, but Weissfeld has said that the concert will probably be in March or April. - Nathan Burstein and APTel Aviv's Blackbird to take flight in March
The Tel Aviv production of Blackbird, by Scottish playwright David Harrower, will hit the stage a couple of weeks after London's West End production. Blackbird is one of the most talked about productions in the theater world today, as Harrower one of its most widely discussed writers. The Sunday Times said the production features "powerful writing allied to masterful direction and brilliant acting." Blackbird tells the story of Ray and Una, two people who had a relationship and meet 15 years on. The Israeli version of the show will launch March 4 at the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv. Rivka Mishloach translated the play into Hebrew, and Ola Schur and Oded Teomi will play the lead roles in the local version. - Viva Sarah Press