Well, let’s say the first bit of good news associated with the Mortier appointment. La Cieca is talking about how NYCO is no longer pursuing its bratty, entitled “I SAID I want a BRAND NEW opera house or I’ll THROW all my BOWTIES on the FLOOR” attitude of the past decade or so. La Cieca frankly grew weary and then bored and finally indifferent as to what was going on “across the Plaza” because the NYCO slowly ceased to be about opera as they became so utterly fascinated by real estate.

Now, La Cieca will be one of the first to jump on the bandwagon when, as, and if NYCO starts producing such interesting must-see opera that they (as it were) earn a new theater. But it’s going to take a major force of will on the part of Mortier and the board to pull the company up even to “pretty good” standards over the first few years following 2009.