Vilar to "Post"
Ah, dear Alberto Vilar — remember when he was going to swoop down from the skies and rescue the Metropolitan Opera and The Royal Opera at Covent Garden and, well, just opera, in general? And, more to the point, remember how he never tired of bragging about his munificence, and demanding lavish expressions of gratitude? Well, he’s in the news again. To be more specific, Vilar has turned up in the pages of the New York Post. The tab rag reports that the “former philanthopist” is complaining about how cruel and unusual it is to be confined to an 11,000 square foot duplex at United Nations Plaza, with time out only for visits to doctors and lawyers, church services, errands, and of course his daily 90 minute stroll. Vilar wants to spend more quality time with his his “significant other,” Maria Muñoz, or, as the Post so vividly puts it, to “play daddy to his gal pal’s son while she wages a battle against life-threatening cancer.”
My partner and I live in an apartment that could fit in his first living room with plenty of room to spare. I weep.
He needs a 90 minute stroll just to walk around his apartment.
I say we start a fund raising effort, say a Gala, with Joe and Jimmie at the helm!
As for the Gala – just think of all those singers, conductors and managers who were busy licking Mr Vilar’s butt when they thought there was money in it for their opera houses, orchestras and competitions. It could indeed be a star-studded event – though I have a feeling many of them will be “just too busy that night, dahling.”
I agree. Regardless of how honest or dishonest, delusional, or even unsympathetic Mr. Vilar may be, the fact is that when he had money at his disposal, he gave it away very generously. It’s sad to see how quickly he was dropped by his “friends” the moment his checkbook closed.
Besides, remember that OJ is not limited to 90-minute walks. Neither is Martha Stewart. Was Mr. Vilar’s crime that much worse?
tdg,
The difference is that Vilar has been deemed a flight risk. He was unable to post the bail demanded by the court, and so he is confined to his 40-room cell until he stands trial.
And I don’t think anybody has a problem with Vilar’s generosity. What irked people was that he kept insisting on more and more extravagant gestures of gratitude, and then whining to the media when he felt the accolades weren’t quite big enough. Basically his message was, “I have a lot of money, and that makes me just as important to opera as conductors and singers and impresarios, and I’m going to blackmail everyone into agreeing with me.”
So, if by his logic we were supposed to respect him so much when he got lucky with his investments, why is doesn’t it follow we should laugh at him when his luck ran out?
As for the public approbation Vilar desired, I read that he was beginning to approach the MET management as to whether or not he might be able to come out and take curtain calls.
That’s too bizarre for words, and it speaks to the sort of megalomania to which he was obviously subject.
just saw this posted online:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/27/arts/music/27met.html
renee to sing norma in 2011…
We used to have a seats in the front row at Los Angeles Opera, but it was off to the left next to a very influential person at the opera. That person wanted Alberto to sit next to her. To get us out of those seat, they gave us seats that are front row center on opening night.
I still have that seat.
Thank you Alberto!!!
Jimpude-
I’ll wave next time I’m there. I’m the rather portly fellow about 4 rows back, a little left of center.