NYCO

The Ten Percent Solution

NYCO’s George Steel has “…a vision of gradually increasing productions, arriving at 10, with 40 performances…. the company would reach the 10-production benchmark by 2025…. Only about 10 percent of revenue this season is predicted to come from the box office, with the rest mainly provided by donors. The ratio does not change much over the […]

By 28 comments

When we deaf awaken

Open your eyes, sleepyheads! In the news this morning, our own JJ raves about Satyagraha at the Met (“a masterpiece of musical and visual art”); the ever-articulate Nico Muhly takes aim at the Met’s production values (“Mercedes Bass or Anne Ziff paid for the opera. What do you think is going to happen?”); and NYCO’s […]

By 51 comments

Cash memory

“The New York City Opera is at an exciting and critical junction in its approach to opera and its ability to connect to audiences in the broader New York City community. City Opera’s new innovative programing presents an opportunity to re-imagine and re-conceive current fundraising efforts for a budget of $13.7 M.” Yes, NYCO is […]

By 9 comments

Buyer’s market

La Cieca was cced the following letter sent by a “long-time patron of NYCO” in response to “the recently received Subscription Renewal Brochure.” She has withheld the patron’s name by request.

By 54 comments

George at the bat

UPDATE: Complete press release after the jump! You know La Cieca will be following NYCO’s press conference starting today at 1:00 pm. The Twittering community will carry live updates from the event, and you, the cher public, can follow the tweets after the jump. 

By 155 comments

In lieu of donations, send flowers

Avid scoopster Dan Wakin just couldn’t wait until next Tuesday like the rest of us, and so he’s spilled enough details about NYCO’s “next” season to make it bleeding obvious 2011-12 will also be the last. A “new” “production” of La traviata by the undead Dr. Jonathan Miller and the U.S. premiere of the dreck Prima […]

By 53 comments

Date saved

BREAKING! New York City Opera has just announced that they are going to announce their 2011-2012 season. The by-invitation-only press conference is set for Tuesday, July 12 at 1:00 PM at New York’s trendy Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Thanks to her eerie ability to see into the future, La Cieca already has film of this […]

By 21 comments

Eye witnesses?

Appearances to the contrary, La Cieca can’t be everywhere at once, so she’s relying on you, cher public, to share your impressions (written, not vocal) of the Rufus Wainwright/George Steel extravaganza last night at the World Financial Center. (Extra points for the use of the word “travertine.”)

By 23 comments

Meet and grate

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 112 comments

The seasons alter

La Cieca is informed that the New York City Opera and AGMA are meeting today for discussions relating to the company’s 2011-12 schedule—which, by the way, is supposed to be announced sometime this week, but La Cieca isn’t holding her breath.

By 4 comments

Nobody will get hurt

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 17 comments

Bloomberg onions

The multi-slashed Manuela Hoelterhoff (Bloomberg editrix/spouse to disgruntled New York City Opera intendant manquée Francesca Zambello/grouch emeritus) dipped her goose quill in venom this morning once again to take on her favorite subject, i.e., how NYCO has gone to hell in a handbasket ever since they didn’t hire her girlfriend to run the place. 

By 117 comments

Look for the Steel Lining

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 67 comments

The fall guy

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 79 comments

May or may not

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 10 comments

Money dramas

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 56 comments

Sign up for Parterre’s free newsletter.

Exclusive opera reviews, commentary, and top reads
delivered to your email weekly…ish.

By submitting your email address, you will receive a free subscription to Parterre Box’s email newsletters and occasional special offers from us and our affiliates. You can unsubscribe at any time and we encourage you to read more about our Privacy Policy.