Bad news bears for those (most of them in the Scala orchestra) who hoped -- against hope, because he really wasn't going anywhere -- that Stéphane Lissner, GM of la Scala, would leave his job next year.
La Scala today announced that it has extended to 2013 (but everybody knows he'll stay on to 2015 when Milan hosts the Expo) his contract with the General Manager appointed in 2005 after the mutiny that brought to an end Riccardo Muti's 19-year-long reign as Music Director. Lissner's contract was due to expire in November 2009, and he was being courted by other European opera houses (Teatro Real in Madrid among them).
Whether or not unions will allow Lissner -- and the rest of the audience -- to enjoy the season opener on December 7, a new Stéphane Braunschweig production of Don Carlo conducted by Daniele Gatti, remains an open question.
(In the photo above, a tense confrontation during one of the many unions/management meetings at la Scala re: the new benefit package)
Lissner is not going away, the Mayor gave him a lot of power. Other managers have less power than Lissner in Milano. At least 2015, you are correct.
Posted by: Il Divo | November 17, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Hmm.
Perhaps we might hire him to be the Car Czar in the Obama Administration.
Posted by: furst | November 17, 2008 at 09:30 PM
unions aside, he has one of the cushiest jobs in opera. A prestige house in the heart of Europe, both the top jobs in one, no music director in his hair, and no doubt the 'benefits' are typically Italian.
But if illness prevents Nicolas Joël taking up his Paris post next year, who knows what the future holds?
Posted by: inter mezzo | November 17, 2008 at 11:11 PM