Terrible news not just for New Yorkers but for all classical music lovers -- even those who have never set foot in the Bowery opera house, the 107-seat jewel willed into existence 60 years ago by maestro Anthony Amato: the Amato Opera will close doors at the end of this season.
On May 31, Le Nozze di Figaro will end the house's glorious history.
Unlike the bloated, inefficient government-subsidized European houses, and the big corporation-subsidized, hostage-of-big-donors American ones, the Amato Opera has been throughout the decades a testament to a man's passion for the opera, a beautiful dream really (and probably the only opera house in the world where homemade brownies were sold as refreshments).
Opera lovers everywhere can only be thankful to Maestro Amato for his beautiful dream.
Lame and unfair! They'll turn the building into another da*n Abercrombie megastore...
:(
Posted by: Coloratura Tempura | January 12, 2009 at 06:25 PM
You forgot to mention Sally Amato, Anthony's wife, who died eight years ago. Both are in the NYC Hall of Fame. Together they did a wondrous thing and this is sad news indeed.
Posted by: Philip | January 12, 2009 at 07:43 PM
There was a place like this in Oakland called Ratto's. Depressingly, no longer in existance. It was a dive pasta house (with a terrific red clam sauce)that served up opera for entertainment. It was popular with the locals, AND many international artists who sang at the SFO (the REAL one).
You could easily hook up with an aspiring coloratura if you had the savvy to applaud wildly her offerings.... spinto's were much more sure of themselves, and thus infinitely more work.
Posted by: CrewMantle | January 13, 2009 at 04:36 AM
"You could easily hook up with an aspiring coloratura...spinto's were much more sure of themselves, and thus infinitely more work."
Life lesson in opera. This should be in the student handbook of every conservatory! haha!
I love Amato, the opportunities they give young singers (and young backstagey types!), and the general presence of this little thing called 'artistic integrity', so sorely lacking from companies just trying to make money instead of fine opera.
Posted by: me | January 13, 2009 at 10:09 PM
This is, indeed a sad, sad day. In a week where I attended the release of Joyce DiDonato's CD, several Opera America functions and a couple of Met performances - the fact that this little company could close broke my heart. Reposa in pace.
Posted by: Darren | January 14, 2009 at 05:44 AM
This makes me sad: another important institution destined to be made into luxury apartments.
Posted by: The Empress | January 14, 2009 at 11:11 AM