As we keep repeating as if it wasn’t obvious, 2021 has been a year like no other. Arts organization have had to reexamine their priorities and deal with new issues, like performer and audience safety, ticketing, and live-streaming. Those of us who write about performers and performances have had to adjust, too—and that adjustment is still going as we struggle with the changing landscape of arts journalism and how it is financially supported.
Arts readers were obviously anxious to get back to some type of “normal” if one puts any stock in the Arts Knoxville site data. From that data, here are the TOP TEN most read stories on the site in 2021.
#10 – Review: Flying Anvil Theatre’s ‘The Thanksgiving Play’
Theatre-goers found Flying Anvil Theatre’s The Thanksgiving Play an intriguing commentary on contemporary issues.
[“Review: Flying Anvil Theatre’s ‘The Thanksgiving Play’” – November, 2021]
#9 – Review: KSO Opens 2021-22 Season With Sparkle and Substance
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra opened its 2021-22 season and returned to full seating capability.
[“Review: KSO Opens 2021-22 Season with Sparkle and Substance” – September, 2021]
#8 – Fresh Faces in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra – 2021 Edition
Readers became acquainted with some new players in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
[#8 – “Fresh Faces in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra – 2021 Edition” – November, 2021]
#7 – Knoxville Opera To Offer A 7-Hour Musical Theatre Marathon on Saturday
Clearly, arts readers are hungry for information on opera performances and performers in Knoxville.
[“Knoxville Opera To Offer A 7-Hour Musical Theatre Marathon on Saturday” – June, 2021]
#6 – Review: ‘Venus in Fur’ At Flying Anvil Theatre
Flying Anvil Theatre returned to live audience performances with Venus in Fur in July.
[“Review: ‘Venus in Fur’ at Flying Anvil Theatre” – July, 2021]
#5 – Clarence Brown Theatre Returns To Live Performances With Its 2021-22 Season
Long awaited and happy news for theatre-goers — Clarence Brown Theatre announced its 2021-22 season.
[“Clarence Brown Theatre Returns To Live Performances With Its 2021-22 Season” – June, 2021]
#4 – Review: The Magic Returns – UT Opera Theatre Delights With Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’
The University of Tennessee Opera Theatre made a major statement with its production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute
[“Review: The Magic Returns – UT Opera Theatre Delights With Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’ – November 2021]
#3 – Review: CBT’s ‘The Busy Body’- Clever, Intelligent, and Entertaining
The internet never forgets, apparently. Thanks to the “Word-A-Day” feature of the always entertaining website Wordsmith.org, readers were re-acquainted with the word marplot, a reference to a character in the restoration play, The Busy Body, which was produced by Clarence Brown Theatre in 2017.
[“Review: CBT’s ‘The Busy Body’- Clever, Intelligent, and Entertaining” – February, 2017]
#2 – Review: Marble City Opera Delivers a Fabulous ‘Tosca’
Marble City Opera produced Puccini’s Tosca in a beautiful alternative venue production at St. John’s Cathedral.
[“Review: Marble City Opera Delivers a Fabulous ‘Tosca’” – June, 2021]
#1 – Knoxville Opera Announces Big Changes To Its Artistic Management Team
As mentioned above, opera lovers are hungry for information—and Knoxville Opera had important information in December: a change in the creative team for KO starting in July, 2022. This news found a huge national interest, and was the most read story of 2021 by a sizable margin.
[“Knoxville Opera Announces Big Changes To Its Artistic Management Team” – December, 2021]
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Best wishes for a Happy New Year! from Arts Knoxville
