The role of the critic

Keeping with the theme of yesterday's post, I thought I'd share two very recent writings on the role of the critic, coming from two of the best out there:

1. Tim Page, "The Education of a Critic," Opera News (July 2009).
2. Anne Midgette, "Do Critics Matter?," The Washington Post (The Classical Beat blog, July 1, 2009).

Puliter Prize-winner Tim Page is a professor of journalism at USC and the former chief classical music critic at The Washington Post; Anne Midgette is his successor in Washington. I'll leave it at that. If I elaborate this will begin reading like a PR person's fantasy.