You have invoked the shade of Visconti and that fabuloso opening scene of Trovatore which I felt I alone loved to that extreme degree.

Shall we repair to the anfiteatro at Taormina?

Let us take along mon vieux cheri, M. Hanslick as well. La-bas, mes freres, we will never suffer from ennui.

-Peter Gelb

But if I’m ever obliged to see Previn’s Streetcar again, a full cast of Colt models and the Blanche going down on me in the delivery boy scene won’t make it worth the waste of time.

You saw it SEVERAL times? I’ve heard of gluttons for punishment, but you have an absolute avarice for the stuff.

Just asking.

Jeezz, it is the inclusive stuff of catty schoolgirls then stating “And you are not going to find our either!”

It implies the smugness of being so superior -minded and ‘all -knowing’ Well let’s see what usually starts the problem, when people get bored here. Usually when there is a hiatus on reported opera happenings. Even then, let’s get things into proportion. The MET is not the be -all or end -all of Opera. So some singer has never sung there…big deal!. It is a house that wants to represent the best…no doubt about that. To try and achieve that in today’s world and run its constant changing large program, it is really a fly- in fly- out star based system.

If I may crudely say it is ‘The Las Vegas of Opera! Lack of preparation on anyone’s part: reputations based far & wide, tend to crash and burn in such a type of spotlight. With the trend for a new look MET, towards more controversial stagings using ‘shot in the dark hiring’ of newer wave directors, the stakes for various peoples’ careers & reputations will in the future , become more acute. An invitation to sing at the MET might just be viewed by some singers as ‘a poisoned chalice’. To any outsider, the artist cancellation rate appears phenomenal, even for opera singers. Then all the ‘duck shoving of covers / some understudy onto the stage starts’ as it is so quickly reported here. Imagine a normal business trying to work under such a situation.
Yet we see here amongst some, an almost snide feeling that if singers have not appeared at the MET they are therefore to be considered second rate. I take a reverse view in many cases. They probably do not want to be involved in all the ructions and hassle, associated with it. Thereby set about having a nice career elsewhere with greater chances of appreciation and ‘where they feel things, are more in control’.

Well, think of La Cieca as Nina, and take it from there.

This is like running for the senate, if you want a clean record, you better get rid of the archives.