La Cieca’s spy attended today’s confab between George Steel (representing NYCO) and 29 singers and production personnel (AGMA) and 24 orchestra members (Local 802). The spy’s observations after the jump.  

By on June 21, 2011 at 4:16 PM
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La Cieca congratulates the marketing department of the heretofore flailing New York City Opera, who seem finally to have hit upon a strategy that will get a response from the company’s understandably confused subscribers. The latest appeal, after the jump.

By on June 17, 2011 at 12:19 PM
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When George Steel predicted that the New York City Opera’s budget for 2011-12 would be “significantly smaller” than the $22 million alloted for 2010-11, he wasn’t kidding. The gulp-inducing details follow the jump.  

By on June 02, 2011 at 7:09 PM
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Now Anthony Tommasini has gone rummaging for the good news (“a place that could set the cultural tone for its neighborhood, much the way the Public Theater defines the life of its East Village environs”) so completely obscured by the dark clouds of recent reports from NYCO. But even a cockeyed optimist like Tommasini has…

By on May 22, 2011 at 2:34 PM
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UPDATE: A full story of NYCO’s woes, including distressing quotes from George Steel is now online at the New York Times.

By on May 20, 2011 at 8:17 PM
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Heads are about to roll at New York City Opera, probably including George Steel‘s—though given the troupe’s bizarro history for the past few years, who can say? This is in the wake of a letter leaked to the Wall Street Journal from singers and production staff of the embattled company, which includes this chilling statement:…

By on May 19, 2011 at 10:06 AM
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La Cieca has been advised not to expect any sort of announcement  about the New York City Opera’s 2011-2012 season, even whether there will be such a season, until after a meeting of the board of the company on May 19. In the meantime, AGMA has announced they will not pursue a job action against…

By on April 29, 2011 at 5:09 PM
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AGMA  has warned the agents representing Lauren Flanigan and other singers appearing in New York City Opera’s Séance on a Wet Afternoon that a work stoppage on April 30 was a virtual certainty absent the successful resolution of a new collective bargaining agreement.

By on April 12, 2011 at 12:31 PM
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Three weeks before its orchestra contract expires, and more than a month overdue to announce its 2011-2012 season, the New York City Opera’s honchos have decides this is a good time to “ponder” the future of the company, give the whole organization a “top-to-bottom review” and maybe change venues, or, then again, maybe not. None…

By on April 07, 2011 at 11:11 PM
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Those of you who have been wondering why the announcement of the New York City Opera’s 2011-2012 seems to be almost a month overdue may not take much consolation in the rumor La Cieca has just heard. According to a reliable source, the company will “probably” not offer a fall season (“due to no money,…

By on April 04, 2011 at 2:30 PM
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“The first installment of Crain’s Business of Arts & Culture series will explore how competition for strong and deep-pocketed trustees has never been steeper as more potential board members are choosing to support fewer organizations. We will also look at how to find new board members, keep them, and use their expertise to help grow…

By on March 07, 2011 at 12:47 PM
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La Cieca was bcc:ed on this response from a member of the cher public to a request from the New York City Opera. With the permisssion of the author, she is publishing the note here for your discussion.

By on November 18, 2010 at 2:56 PM
105 comments