A tale of two cities
What no one dares talk about in New York — at least not yet:
…the medical leave will add to the debate about whether Levine is in fact overextended in his two jobs leading both the BSO and the Metropolitan Opera ….
Levine’s current contract at the Met ends in 2011 and one presumes he’ll use that juncture as a moment to ask some tough questions about what he wants to accomplish in the coming years. All the issues are linked, but ultimately, I think this comes down less to health questions than artistic ones. Is the current arrangement allowing him to realize his full potential in either city?
At least they’re asking the question in Boston.
Sanford earlier made a list of possible recommended conductors the Met could engage. I believe that amongst the list were some superb conductors ‘worth their salt’. Some others brushed his recommendations, aside. One cannot win.
It brings though, a bigger question -given the MET’s present circumstances.Here is an organization contiinually changing and making new plans under Gelb and his followers in management….
The question: Would any sane conductor with a respected name, earned hard elsewhere- nominate or be willing, to risk having their reputation ‘trashed’ as a scapegoat at the drop of a Met hat? Blamed when things go wrong: things outside their control. Be a potential martyr; copping the blame to save the business arses of complete poor judgment bunglers. Where they appease the flighty antics of ‘big names’ who let them down repeatedly by wilful sheer absence or cancellation, unreliability or incompetence.
Does anyone appear to know what the real forward plan ‘vision’ of the MET is? What are the targets and criteria to be achieved? What are the consequences, if they are not? How are they to be executed?
Without stated clear cut answers, a conductor would be wise to protect their own back- just maintain a poltie distance and sign on , for ‘temporary engagements’ from time to time.