Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno's plan -- to get rid of Opera di Roma GM Francesco Ernani, replace him with someone else and wheel in Riccardo Muti as Music Director -- seems to have blown up -- yesterday the Roman opera house named as provisional GM, with a mandate that expires on July 3 but that could be extended, as it seems likely, until October, human resources administrator Catello De Martino.
Riccardo Muti, who seemed very likely to accept an official post -- his favorite would have been, as anticipated by Opera Chic, the post of "Principal Conductor", Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno was pushing for "Music Director" -- will now obviously stay away from any commitment until the dust is settled.
