wilber_criswellThe updates on Brad Wilber‘s new Met Futures page are arriving almost daily now, with perhaps the most startling recent news the “removal” of Juan Diego Flórez from a projected new production of I puritani in April 2014. But there’s more to it, after the jump.

Flórez is, of course, one of the Met’s biggest draws and a favorite of Peter Gelb‘s, and, furthermore, the focus of the Met as the company moves into the Twenty-teens seems increasingly to be turning to bel canto works neglected since early in the Levine era.

Note that per Brad, Flórez is on board for L’elisir d’amore in 2011-12, a revival of Le Comte Ory in 2012-14, and the Met premiere of La donna del lago in 2014-15. So the assumption here is that the tenor should be singing something at the Met in 2013-14, most likely a role new to the house, and probably a new production. If not Puritani, then what?

And, as a sidebar, who here really believes that the Bellini will go forward without Flórez and with Natalie Dessay?

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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