Huis clos
Now who, of all people, do you think spent all day today in a hush-hush meeting with George Manahan over at the New York City Opera? (Do you remember the New York City Opera? It's that other company in Lincoln Center, the one people used to pay a lot of attention to before Peter Gelb took over the Met.) But back to the subject at hand. Manahan's all-day tête-à-tête partner was Gérard Mortier, so La Cieca hears. And so La Cieca repeats, though for the life of her she can't figure out what this is all about. Unless it's the sharing of lousy Francesca Zambello productions between now and 2009, when Mortier departs the Paris Opéra. Or might it have something to do with the years following 2009?
Labels: la cieca ci guarda la cieca ci vede, mortier, nyco
POSTED at
11:43 PM
20 Comments:
Mon Dieu!
Now that would make life really interesting.
"Lousy" is a subjective term, I think, in relation to Ms Zambello's recent work. Much of what she does speaks eloquently to some of us about the operas she directs. And, yes, I speak as a survivor of the MET LUCIA, so my eyes are open.
Now that would kick MAJOR ASS. Can you imagine a real rivalry between the two houses again. But what happens during the seasons that he's not around? This is the current Kellogg's last season, right?
NYCO still exists? Wow!
By the way, I wished Zambello directed the current production of Dialogues playing right now at Lyric. Patricia Racette and Isabel Bayrakdian are starring.
This has appeared on a French board :
Je tiens de sources entièrement fiables que Gerard Mortier est pressenti pour succéder à Paul Kellogg à la tête du New York City Opera. Les discussions en sont apparemment à un stade très avancé, mais elles peuvent encore achopper sur des questions financières. En d'autres mots, on s'inquiète de la possibilité de ramasser assez de sous pour soutenir les projets de Mortier pour sa nouvelle compagnie.
Si l'on réussit à assurer un support suffisant en espèces sonnantes et trébuchantes, la nomination devrait être annoncée dans les toutes prochaines semaines.
L'excitment est trop a soutenir!!!
Wow. Just...wow. Why would Mortier want the job? That's quite a step down from La Monnaie, the Salzburg Festival and the Paris Opera.
I like the NYCO, hate the State Theatre; will he have the clout to get a new house built/renovated?
Most of all, are the 9 millionth revivals of such things as Boheme doomed?
If it happens, NYCO suddenly gets very interesting. And not just for the young blonde male assistants he allegedly prefers to work with....
I thought Mortier was long-time partnered with (horrible) conductor Sylvain Cambreling...
I am surprised to hear about the hot young blonde things...
Alex thinks it would make life really interesting. Interesting choice of words. I, on the other hand, would consider it a call to arms. Real arms. Uzi arms. Uzi trumps Frog avant-garde every time.
ACD
What version of Rock-Paper-Scissors features an Uzi and French avant-garde opera? Algerian rules? Quebecois?
Watch what you say about the Quebecois, or I will crush you with my Uzi. Or this piece of paper.
It would have to be something even more absurd than a piece of paper for Quebecois rules. Maybe a wine-stopper? I have an abiding love and respect for the Quebecois, btw.
Two questions come to mind:
1- What are Mortier's thoughts on amplified music? Will he continue current NYCO practice? Or will he enhance it for more theatrical effects?
2- I would welcome the NYCO promoting more modern and avant garde works. It seems like the ideal showcase for the very latest in New York... as long as the Met then represents the more traditional approach. But if the two houses start competing to see which one can present the weirder production, mamma mia !!!
New York is big enough. It should afford to have one company offering the latest euro-trash and experimental works, and one to present traditional opera. But not two of the same.
Uzi trumps Frog avant-garde every time
Mortier is Belgian, you silly reactionary prat, there *is* a difference.
It should afford to have one company offering the latest euro-trash and experimental works, and one to present traditional opera. But not two of the same
I agree. City Opera had a great record of presenting modern/contemporary stuff until the Glimmerglass Gang came in. Placidio Domingo singing Ginastera's amazing Don Rodrigo at NYCO in 1967 is one of my favorite bootleg opera tapes.
If Mortier takes the job, getting out of the State Theater has to a be a top priority.
I think a real rivalry between the two houses is exactly what is needed right now. In my 11 years of attending performances in NYC - I have become increasingly disappointed with NYCO. Serious artistic competition will benefit the patrrons.
I would rather see FULL ON directoral concepts rather than those watered down, "dumb ass", eurotrash lite productions that Kellogg was bringing in. If you are gonna go there - then GO THERE! His little coterie was just not getting it for so long. And people wonder why the company couldn't get into a new house. Which I guess is the reason why he going.
"A. C. Douglas, may I present M. Hercule Poirot, the celebrated French detective?"
"A. C. Douglas, may I present M. Hercule Poirot, the celebrated French detective?"
Yeah, yeah, I know all about that. But, first, my reference was clearly to the Belgian's intendancy of the Paris Opéra, not his place of birth, and, second, "Belgian avant-garde" doesn't have nearly the punch and sneer of "Frog avant-garde," now does it.
ACD
I deplore Regietheater as much as the next guy, but Mortier's understanding of twentieth-century and contemporary opera, which goes much deeper than Peter Gelb's (as so far evidenced), makes me think that this would be an incredibly good thing for the city. If he clutters the City Opera stage with irritating and nauseating shows of the Verdi-in-the-toilets school, it would be worth the price to see things on the order of Mark Morris' "L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato" and the Peter Sellars productions of "Saint Francis" and "Amour de loin" — all of which Mortier made possible.
If rumor becomes fact and Mortier confines his postmodern attentions to productions of post-19th-century opera exclusively, and assigns productions of that old stuff to those who still understand what they require, then all will be right with the world, and I'll gladly and willingly consign my Uzi to the closet for the duration.
ACD
Mortier is not only Belgian, he's Flemish, from Ghent. His mothertongue is Dutch.
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