UPDATE: Tonight’s performance of Simon Boccanegra at La Scala (featuring Placido Domingo) has been canceled because of a strike called by unions protesting the “decreto Bondi,” a measure to privatize all of Italy’s major opera houses and reduce salaries at these theaters across the board.
Our Own Ercole Farnese reviewed yesterday’s news reports about this crisis in Italian cultural life. His summaries follow the jump. Read more »
Preternaturally boyish composer Jake Heggie is putting finishing touches on his orchestration for his opera Moby-Dick. The cetacean tuner, “huge strings” and all, is set for an April debut in Dallas. [KERA] Read more »
The American Guild of Musical Artists said in a memo to members that “given the changes that George Steel wants to make in our contract, members are advised that the possibility of a strike against New York City Opera is likely.” At issue is what AGMA characterizes as Steel’s intention to eliminate guarantees of work for chorus and production staff. [via Bloomberg News]
Any AGMA members out there willing to forward a copy of the memo to lacieca@parterre.com?
So, guess who’s going to sing Norma? “Sie ist die unbestrittene, strahlende Königin des Koloratur-Mezzofachs: Cecilia Bartoli. In der kommenden Saison wird sie im KONZERTHAUS DORTMUND in einer der bedeutendsten und schwierigsten Partien der gesamten Opernliteratur zu erleben sein: als „Norma“ in Vincenzo Bellinis gleichnamiger Oper. Die musikalische Leitung dieser wichtigen konzertanten Produktion liegt in den Händen von Thomas Hengelbrock, der seine eigenen Klangkörper, das Balthasar-Neumann-Ensemble und den gleichnamigen Chor, dirigieren wird. Die Aufführungen sind für den 29. Juni und 1. Juli 2010 geplant.”
La Cieca hears vague rumors from here and there that there something major is going to happen with New York CIty Opera this week, possibly as early as today. According to an insider over the weekend “wagons [were] circling,” perhaps in reaction to the admission that the company has spent down over 2/3 of its endowment in past months to cover last season’s debts and current operating expenses. In the meantime, tickets for the fall 2009 season are not yet on sale.
“Opera star Paul Potts has given Susan Boyle his backing – and believes she could become as big a star as him.” [via WalesOnline]
Remember a couple of weeks ago when La Cieca called that NYT story about a potential strike at the New York City Opera “the scariest Friday news dump ever?” Well, she was wrong, wrong, wrong. The winner and new bone-chilling champion of all Friday news dumps just sneaked into the Times online. (Those of you with super-keen vision may be able to find it on page C-2 of tomorrow’s print edition.) In brief: since last fall, City Opera has “raided its endowment of a total of $23.5 million” to pay off debt and to meet current payroll “and other needs.” [...]
Bryn Terfel recently showed up at a concert “with only minutes before he was due on stage” only to realize he wasn’t wearing any pants. [via Telegraph]
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