American to helm American opera company
As La Cieca indicated previously, Francesca Zambello (center) is going to add the notch of General and Artistic Director of Glimmerglass Opera to her already bulging belt. [NYT] La Zambello is perhaps best known for her exquisite visual taste.
The following certainly takes the biscuit for clearly planted, partisan posts here:
“She knows what she is doing and has influential (and wealthy) friends …”
Name one. Just one.
“Her appointment should be a boon to fundraising efforts there.”
How, in heaven’s name? She is one of the least diplomatic and disliked people in the business.
“Many, many singers, conductors, choreographers and designers (a lot of them quite starry) love working with her.”
Many, many? Name only one.
“So do many opera house administrations.”
Name one, unless you’d rather list the “many.”
“She believes in what she is doing and is damn good at getting her passionate ideas for the continued survival of opera in this country across to anyone.”
An example of this, please, for those of us who don’t live in your world. And how is her believing in what she’s doing a guarantee of the health of opera “in this country.” And, while you’re at it, just what is a “passionate idea”? Does that involve some sort of insane raving? I grant you that she has a certain reputation for that.
“Young singers practically fall all over themselves trying to be in her productions because she has such a great reputation amongst them.”
Name just one of these young singers who has the slightest choice of another gig to rescue him or — emphatically — her from such a fate. Of course your rather vague if not meaningless expression, “practically fall all over themselves,” shows that you’re just making up words here in any case.
Clearly the Bloomberg machine is already in full operation.
I’m guessing that since I don’t live in New York, I don’t understand all the references to the Bloomberg machine. Is one of FZ’s lovers a honcho at Bloomberg?
It’s just a pity that Glimmerglass is such a small summer job. Alas, she can still direct at Covent Garden, a theatre where she IS still (unfortunately) valued. That will all change when Elaine Padmore retires at the end of the 10/11 season. Padmore is an old buddy (but bats for a different team, ya know) from Wexford days and it’s thanks to her that we’ve had a tawdry succession of shows: Don Giovanni, Carmen, Queen of Spades, and last year’s preposterous “Christmas panto based on Tchaikovsky” – brilliant Cieca! If she really devotes her time to it, and doesn’t direct too many shows herself, it could be a brilliant appointment. But she’s ambitious and greedy – her interest in musicals surely has more to do with MONEY than anything as demeaning as artistic ideals – and i would be surprised if this isn’t a mere stepping stoner to greater things – Domingo can’t last for ever……..
Alto,
You post is embarrasing. Are you actually claiming Francesca Zambello doesn’t have at least one powerful or influential friend. Really? You don’t think she knows Placido Domingo? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placido_domingo)
You claim she controls “the Bloomberg” machine and also think she doesn’t know Mike Bloomberg?
As far as being “one of the least diplomatic and disliked people in the business.” I think it’s safe to assume any woman who has succeeded on that level has stepped on some toes. It’s an ugly sexist world.
But while we are on the subject of diplomacy, how about that Master of Diplomacy George Steele who recently told a report from the NY Times?
“I don’t know whether you’ve read the paper, but there’s a downturn that’s affected opera companies all around the country.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/arts/music/10opera.html?scp=2&sq=George%20Steel&st=cse
Where does he place on your list of least diplomatic people in the opera world?
No, longtimelistener, it is your lack of reading comprehension that should be “embarrasing” to you. I didn’t say, or imply, a single thing that you cite in your post. And your expressed lack of knowledge about the Bloomberg context shows how little you understand any of the issues I touched on in response to a ridiculous parody-ready post.
And I did not even mention or in any way reference anything related to George Steel, and your bringing him up in this context must be significant to the drift (and perhaps source) of your response. (But, since you bring it up, the tone of voice in which your supposedly “undiplomatic” quote of him is uttered — in what was specified as a phone interview — means everything. You are clearly choosing to hear it in a snide tone that I don’t think anyone who has had the slightest exposure to him could ever attribute to the perhaps excessively breezy Steel.)
The last two artistic directors at Glimmerglass have supervised productions of good taste, mostly (except when Christopher Alden somehow snookered them). One can only hope FZ drops her bombastic manner on the way to the genteel farm country that hosts this musically elegant summer treat.
CruzSF (41) – Francesca Zambello’s life partner, Manuela Hoelterhoff, formerly opera critic for the Wall Street Journal, now writes for the Bloomberg news service. Since there have been several Bloomberg pieces in the last year (not by MH) attacking New York City Opera’s management decisions, a (conspiracy?) theory has arisen that maybe they’re revenge for NYCO’s not choosing FZ to head it.
(I have no idea whether any of this is true or not — I’m just letting you know what I’ve read online.)
Thanks, Pavel, for the news. I guessed that revenge figured in the story, but wasn’t sure how, by whom, on whom.
Pavel, you understate the case. Ms. Hoelterhoff is not a mere writer. She is head of the Bloomberg arts department, and all the music reviewers work for her.
Sorry, Alto, did not know that.