Money pit
The good news is that the Met reduced its operating deficit for 2008-2009 to $1.3 million, down from $12.2 million a year earlier. The bad news is the company’s assets fell by $72.6 million (down to $422.7 million) primarily because of investment losses. In other news, the Met paid James Levine a bit more than Peter Gelb received for the fiscal year, slightly over $1.5 million. (La Cieca will now sit back and listen to the online explanations of how unfair this is, because Jimmy actually makes music whereas Gelb just sits in an office all day thinking about how much he hates opera.) [via Bloomberg]
In fairness, Gelb does more than just spend the day thinking about how much he hates opera. He also spends time planning to actively destroy it.
Also in all fairness, Gelb was the one person to see the potential of the HD transmissions and has turned into a success for the met and other companies have jumped in the wagon.
I might not like his casting decisions, but the man is a genius when it comes to marketing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuvuzela
Also, a Spanish language operetta on the subject of female genitalia.
Which brings us back to “Les C- -t d’Hoffman,” right?
Maybe Gelb could find a business partner to sell vuvuzelas with slogans on them like “Guleghina” and “Bart Sher” in the MET Gift Shop and in HD theaters. They could also sell vuvuzela mutes to make them easier on the ears and glass vuvuzelas for performances of Lucia.
Brava!
Now playing at Chelsea Opera in rep with “The Threepenis Opera.”
To be followed by Rimsky-Korsakov’s Le Coq d’Or and L’Amico Pr*cks. Not forgetting the Greek Passion – but watch out for the Puritani.
Oh goody. New contest!
Quick ! Everybody name an opera you’ve never heard of.
nothing better than “l’amour de loin”. I always misunderstood that one.
Agreed – I love a good steak as much as the next guy, but much prefer the ribeye to the loin…
I would say Queen of Spades but it is too politically incorrect so I shall refrain.
Wow.
All of the above conducted by German kappelmeister Christof Pr!ck, of course…
The Three Painy Opera, with Quanto in all three roles.
Speaking of Chelsea Opera, I had a surprisingly good time at their MARRIAGE OF FIGARO on Saturday evening. Some very charismatic performers, and though the church space has its drawbacks, the acoustics are surprisingly good. They had two casts. I think the Susanna I saw, Rosa Betancourt, is a real find.
I would agree that we have a potential great soprano in the midst
No, this is not from the CO Figaro.
The Empress travels to the earthly realm to get over her chronic constipation. Of course, it’s called….
But anyway, this reminds me of a literary game in which you change the meaning of a famous line for maximum effect with the minimum alteration. The all-time winner: “Whose woods are these I think I know,/ His house is in the Village though.”
francesca the rimming queen
The Masked Balls.
Who is playing “DICK” in next year’s Fanciulla?
Jack’s runt!
Lady Macbeth of Mystink, Layme, Hey Eta!,
Very nice to see you in a playful mood, Harry. Better for your blood pressure.
Blood pressure,…something I clinically do not suffer from.
Anna Blew-Lena, Madama Blowfly,
Blowfly such a delicate procedure.
Wagner’s Die Gotacockring, Strauss’ Fried an’shagged,
But Levine DOESN’T make music. He conducted a sum total of, what, 3 performances last season! He’s a doorstop!
Well, these figures are for September 2008 – August 2009, which means not this past season but the one before. The question, though, is whether even conducting 40 performances a year is worth $1.5 million. (It’s not like he performs any of the actual duties of a musical director.)
Probably needs the money to upkeep his fluffy coiffure and buy shoulder towels.