Do any of you out there ever wonder exactly what it is an “Artistic Administrator” does — I mean, besides collecting an annual salary and refusing to hear auditions? Well, finally La Cieca has uncovered at least part of the job description. 

An Artistic Administrator (for example, Diane Zola of the Houston Grand Opera) is a sort of lackey to the lawyers who run the opera company, assigned to such busywork as writing threatening letters to poor powerless bloggers like La Cieca:

Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 10:05:18
From: Diane Zola
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Cc: [redacted]
Subject: Copyright Infringement

This e-mail serves written notice of copyright infringement regarding the video entitled “Sempre Fleming” located on your site at the following URL:

Houston Grand Opera demands that the video be removed from this site immediately, and that the User, La Cieca, cease and desist from all current and future unauthorized use of this video in perpetuity. Houston Grand Opera asserts in good faith that it is the owner of the copyright to this video excerpt of its live performance of LA TRAVIATA, and that it has not authorized the offending party to display this video in any format. Legal action against your site and the offending party will be taken if the video is not immediately removed. The above information is accurate, and I aver that I am authorized to act on behalf of Houston Grand Opera to protect its copyright against such infringement.

Sincerely, Diane Zola
Artistic Administrator
Houston Grand Opera
E-mail: [email protected]
Ph: 713-546-0293

Naturally La Cieca has removed the video, if only so that Ms. Zola can get back to planning the 2011-12 season.