Levi Strauss
Buttenheim

Guess my clues are way too easy!
Interestingly, Strauss was born Loeb Strauss. He later changed Loeb to Levi to make it more "American".

Well it's easy or difficult. :-)

In this case, I guess it's easy to guess Levi Strauss right away.

This should be easy, but well, let's give it anyway.

Since we're all pseudo-intellectuals, after the previous clue, we should now immediately think of the intellectual theory called (12 letters, 2nd = "t").

13 letters!

Sorry, need a counting lesson.

I guess I'm neither an intellect nor a psuedo-intellect, since I've never heard of Structuralism. :(

Well, now you have and you've the next clue too.

I wonder if DT would have picked up on this immediately. Claude Levi-Strauss was an anthropologist.

I used to sort of like this sort of stuff even. :-)

This painter was born & died in the same city (or town, if you prefer). His painting studio there is now a museum (surprise!). His father really wanted him to go into law, and he actually was enrolled at both the law school & an art school (simultaneoulsy, I believe). He subsequently gave up his law studies and became a famous painter.

Artist: 4,7 ("a" in 2nd position of first name, and in 4th position of last name)
City/town: 3,2,8

CL Strauss may be the most boring read ever. If you want some interesting stuff to read on anthropology, specifically proxemics, check out Edward Hall's Hidden Dimension. A really interesting look at how cultures differ in their use of space, both public and personal.

I don't know Edward Hall at all. Does he have the stamp of approval from people? :-) Was forced to read Durkheim, Levi-Strauss, Foucault -- all the French stuff (but in English). :-)

"Does he have the stamp of approval from people?"

That would certainly depend on the people. He is widely accepted as the foremost scholar in proxemics. He is often cited by city planners and "public space and park" designers.

Actually now his name does vaguely ring a bell. I'll have to remember it if this comes up in some cocktail conversation. (Yeah right. :-) )

I still haven't had the time to research the new clue.

Paul Cezanne
Aix-en-Provence

Wow -- no one is competing with me now? :-)

Oui! Cezanne it is.
Turns out that one of his painting "Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier" is on the top 10 list of "most expensive paintings sold" at auctions. It was sold for $55 million.

Interesting. I'm still puzzled by how a Picasso painting can fetch over 100 million in that recent auction, whereas that controversial Vermeer sold for under 10?

Oh well.

I'll give an easy one. I don't want to stay late. :-)

So whoever gets this can just keep the ball rolling -- it'll be obvious if you got the answer.

Give the last name of the famous father-son pair. The father is a painter and the son is a director.

6 letters, 2nd = "e"

Then name this movie directed by the son that's on many movies lists (and is actually one of my favorite movies).

4 words (2, 5, 2, 3)

Renoir (Auguste & Jean)
La Règle du jeu

This maestro, though not European, has been conducting various European orchestras throughout his life. He originally studied medicine, but later abandoned that field to study music instead. He currently serves as the general music director of a prestigious opera company in Europe. Several years ago he conducted an opera in this non-european city, a feat that no one before him was able to do (e.g. Karajan). The opera, written 70+ years before this performance, was actually set in this city.

Name:
Maestro (5,5, with "i" in 4th position of first name)
Opera company he is currently at (give name in native language) 10,10 ("i" in 6th position of 1st word)
Opera (8)
Non-european city (7, "i" in 3rd position)
"i" taken from Renoir

Zubin Mehta
Bayerische Staatsoper
Turandot
Beijing

That's right, DT.
Now your turn.