le baiser de la mort
“George is actually the perfect person for City Opera in this chapter of its institutional life,†said the house’s chairwoman, Susan L. Baker. [via NYT]
Also: La Cieca hears that Two-Face is already en route to New York City, where he will meet with his new underlings at 11:00 AM Thursday.
Well-placed informant reports that Steel’s family was not at all happy in Dallas, which probably made the NYCO offer irresistible.
From a Dallas Morning News article, I’m inferring maybe some in Dallas aren’t sorry to see him leave.
“Steel came to Dallas in October after 11 years as executive director of Columbia University’s Miller Theater. Known for innovative theatrical and musical programming, he’s also a conductor whose enthusiasms run mainly to modern and renaissance music. With little apparent interest in mainstream 19th- and early 20th-century operatic repertory, he struck many opera fans as an odd choice for the Dallas company.
“Steel talked about introducing little-known operas here even as the recession is prompting other opera companies to opt for more conservative repertory and fewer performances. With costs rising considerably with the move to the Winspear, the Dallas Opera at this point needed less an artistic visionary than a virtuoso fundraiser.”
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-steel_15met.State.Edition1.2a66c62.html
Magic 8-Ball…. when will Susan Baker resign?
Scrappy- she called him scrappy. I would be friggin pissed at that description
“No immediate reaction from Dallas Opera officials.”
LOL.
Now let’s get rid of the Baker bitch. With her still there, he doesn’t have a chance.
What is it about Susan Baker’s face that makes one want to grab a 2 X 4?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/arts/music/15oper.html?hp
Francesca nails it. RIP city opera…
The only people who are celebrating are the people in Dallas.
I’m signing off folks, this was the only issue I cared about enough to post. Been fun, hugs and kisses to all.
Timmay!
how many facelifts has Susan Baker had? She looks horrible.
Hmmmmm.
Shouldn’t we all be wishing him the best of luck? He’s agreed to take on an extremely difficult (if not impossible) proposition in rebuilding NYCO (and left another great job to do it).
I have not attended events at the Miller Theater, but it seems from what others have said that he had a success there. So he must have a good handle on what might make NYCO viable (other than lots of money).
Maybe he’ll actually be a success at NYCO.
Susan Baker simply has absolutely no idea what she is doing.
Reasons
Appointing Gerard Mortier: Worst idea ever, if for no other reason than that she should have realized he would never actually come (Belgian waffles are flaky). Also for promising an enormous budget during a recession and knowing that there was no way the board could come up with it. Or even more gravely, for NOT realizing that Mortier’s budget wasn’t possible. Great business sense, Susan.
Appointing George Steel: How could NYCO ever recover from the Mortier mess and the resulting year + of few productions and low income? Not by hiring a man “who has no experience running an opera house” and who “also has no experience raising money on the scale required by City Opera.”
The New York Times knows it, we all know it.
Susan Baker has no idea what she is doing.
Susan Baker: After Mortier you should have graciously accepted your incompetence and stepped down. Now you just look, well.. stupid.