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Metropolitan Opera

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Met Opera’s Tristan und Isolde Reimagined: A Bold Birth-Death-Rebirth Vision
arts1 month ago

Met Opera’s Tristan und Isolde Reimagined: A Bold Birth-Death-Rebirth Vision

Met Opera’s Tristan und Isolde, staged by Yuval Sharon, presents a bold birth-death-rebirth concept that visually stacks an eye-like stage with a dual representation–will world, delivering a mostly immersive though uneven experience. Act I is visually striking but muddled; Act II offers a deeply romantic core that slows pacing; Act III finally pays off with a piercing Liebestod framed by the pregnancy twist. Davidsen’s Isolde and Spyres’s Tristan are standout anchors, lifting the production even as projections and some directorial choices—plus fluctuating conducting—divide opinion. Overall, it’s a memorable, ambitious interpretation that heightens Wagner’s philosophy while inviting debate over its execution.

via OperaWire|
#arts#lise-davidsen#metropolitan-opera
Met Opera Cuts Jobs, Slashes Pay, and Delays New Production Amid Saudi Funding Uncertainty
business2 months ago

Met Opera Cuts Jobs, Slashes Pay, and Delays New Production Amid Saudi Funding Uncertainty

The Metropolitan Opera announced layoffs of 22 administrative staff and 35 executives earning over $150,000, with 4–15% pay cuts for top earners, and will delay Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina for the 2026–27 season while reducing next year’s slate to 17 productions. The moves stem from concerns about the Saudi funding arrangement that would subsidize the company’s planned performances in Diriyah; officials also floated selling the theater’s two Chagall murals (valued at about $55 million) and possibly selling naming rights, though murals would stay in the building. Gelb and Nézet-Séguin will take temporary pay reductions, with a plan to restore salaries in 2027. The situation follows ongoing controversy over the Saudi deal and its implications for the Met’s finances.

via OperaWire|
#business#khovanshchina-postponement#layoffs
"Met Opera Overcomes Technical Mishap to Keep the Show Going"
arts2 years ago

"Met Opera Overcomes Technical Mishap to Keep the Show Going"

The Metropolitan Opera put on a semi-staged version of Puccini’s “Turandot” after a backstage lift got jammed, forcing the company to improvise a set. Despite the technical mishap, most audience members stayed for the performance, which featured the cast and chorus singing from an improvised set. This is not the first time technical issues have affected productions at the Met, but the general manager expects things to be back to normal for the next performance.

via The New York Times|
#arts#metropolitan-opera#puccini
"Met Opera's 'Forza del Destino' Takes Center Stage in Spectacular Performances"
music2 years ago

"Met Opera's 'Forza del Destino' Takes Center Stage in Spectacular Performances"

Lise Davidsen cements her stardom in the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Verdi's "La Forza del Destino" with her pure and powerful soprano voice, despite some moments that called for a more fiery delivery. Davidsen's coolly powerful authority and generosity in her singing make her a rare artist, even as she enters the Italian repertoire at the Met.

via The New York Times|
#la-forza-del-destino#lise-davidsen#metropolitan-opera
"Met Opera Utilizes Endowment to Navigate Economic Downturn"
arts2 years ago

"Met Opera Utilizes Endowment to Navigate Economic Downturn"

The Metropolitan Opera has withdrawn nearly $40 million from its endowment to cover operating expenses as it continues to recover from the pandemic. Despite the financial challenges, the company sees signs of improvement, with increased paid attendance, growing interest in Live in HD cinema broadcasts, and a younger audience for contemporary opera. The Met expects substantial cash gifts to replenish the endowment in the coming years and is also seeking a transformative gift to support its recovery efforts.

via The New York Times|
#arts#cash-gifts#endowment-fund
"Opera Superfan's Generous Legacy: Millions Donated to Arts and Singers"
music2 years ago

"Opera Superfan's Generous Legacy: Millions Donated to Arts and Singers"

Lois Kirschenbaum, a devoted opera fan who passed away in 2021, surprised cultural groups with $1.7 million in donations from her life savings. Despite living a modest lifestyle as a former switchboard operator, Kirschenbaum left substantial gifts to organizations such as the New York City Opera, American Ballet Theater, Carnegie Hall, and the Public Theater, much to the surprise of her friends and the recipients. Her frugal habits and dedication to the arts have left a lasting impact on the cultural community.

via The New York Times|
#arts#cultural-groups#donation
Lackluster 'Magic Flute' at the Met: A Review
music2 years ago

Lackluster 'Magic Flute' at the Met: A Review

The Metropolitan Opera's production of "The Magic Flute - Holiday Presentation," directed by Julie Taymor, lacks some luster in its recent run. While the staging, featuring diaphanous puppets and translucent set pieces, brings a weightlessness to Mozart's opera, the cast's broad performance for the young audience and the thin, tinny sound of the orchestra detract from the overall experience.

via The New York Times|
#julie-taymor#metropolitan-opera#music