Half-full or half-empty? Or slightly more than one-third full?
Tonight’s Hoffmann at the Met is conducted by John Keenan, but it’s not a(nother) James Levine cancellation. Of the nine performances of the Offenbach opera this season, Maestro Jimmy was always scheduled to do only six; the other were “TBA” until the season began. With his cancellation of of the December 16 performance, of course, he is down to five nights to Keenan’s four — assuming a return as scheduled for the final Hoffmann on January 2.

Warning: there’s math after the jump.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. According to La Cieca’s calculations, Levine was announced for 13 Met performances between opening night and last Saturday’s HD simulcast/broadcast. Of those dates he fulfilled five.  So his attendance rate for the season thus far is 38%.

La Cieca

James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.

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