LA Opera's "Ring" Singers Badmouth Director In Print, Apologize To Company Board Two Weeks Later

The drama llama was taken out of its stable earlier today in Los Angeles; British tenor John Treleaven (Siegfried) and American soprano Linda Watson (Brunnhilde), who had been quoted last month in the Los Angeles Times slamming German director Achim Freyer's staging of LA Opera's Ring, apologized to the board of directors of LA Opera in a letter (full text here).

But they didn't deny they said what was reported, they simply argue that:

1) LA Opera asked them to give the interview

2) A "selective and biased representation of these interviews" was somehow performed by the paper

3) All without denying any of the quotes attributed to them (the reporter must have them on tape)

4) Therefore, it was all a, quote, "misunderstanding" of some sort.

5) They now call Freyer's Ring a "fantastic, history-making project".

OC's take: you either keep your mouth shut about how much the director sucks or you learn how to make it clear to a reporter that something you're about to say is "off the record". But if you really want to let people know how bad a very expensive project you're involved in really is, you don't wait for two weeks to write a carefully worded letter to your bosses where you can't even deny you said what you said. 

It's crass. 

(via Tim Mangan)

Comments

[El Cajon]

One of my favorite books of the 1990s was Julia Phillips' "You'll Never Eat Lunch in this Town Again".

Sounds like Watson and Treleavan want to continue to dine in L.A., so an agent (or someone) put together a letter for them saying they love Freyed food.

And it's a history-making project all right. For all the wrong reasons...

O.C. called it like it is!

[Gary Campbell]

I saw John Treleavan limp through Siegfried, as well as the "safe spots" stuck here that the cast fled to, and there to keep them from taking headers into the pit! Perhaps they were "politik" in their recent statements, but it is what it is.

[Wes]

Derp

[siris]

But seriously, I've heard Watson many times(and Treleaven once) - have to say those complains on Freyer were the sweetest music ever come out of their mouths!!

I still dream of Erda opening up the earth and devouring the entire stupid sets(and the director too)... and then a make-shift concert version... maybe with Brewer as Brunnhilde! :)

[vale]

This is so funny. That's what happens...

[Rogier]

Yikes! Scary stuff! I don't buy the "off the record" excuse. They probably said it in a joking manner and didn't realize the comments would be so glaring.

But really, Rule #1: Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Don't take a dump where you eat. It's a simple rule we learn when we are little kids.

[Vade Mecum]

Can you imagine those two at any sort of meet and greet with the board or backers? Eek!

OC, I'm curious about your opinion: Do you think that an incident like this will do much damage for American and British singers who are trying to get contracts abroad? My sense is that the European houses operate with a much tighter "lock down" of information, there aren't any of those gaping leaks of information or gossip like you have in the American houses and that this kind of behavior would never be tolerated or allowed if one is singing in the Europe opera houses. I think the English speaking singers are more aggressive with their "freedom of speech" and are accostumed to speaking their minds. Whereas the Eastern and Western Europeans are much more discreet. I'm trying to think back at these kinds of stories, and it seems like they always come from English speaking singers who are unhappy with productions and end up blabbing to the press or a blog (didn't Samuel Ramey do this over the Met Attila a few months ago?) What do you think? Maybe the European houses will be hesitant to hire these American and British "loose cannons" who could sabotage or slander their establishments?

[Miguel de Moura]

Wagner´s Ring is about the struggle for power. The statement positions of these two beloved Wagnerian singers is ,in modest my opinion, a sad momment. They abide by the power of money.

[Warren]

This 'Ring' sounds like a wholesale travesty, and Freyer sounds like a bad joke. What a doofus. It looks like empty faux avant-garde baloney. The singers should have stuck with their critical guns, but yeah, the later penitence damage control was probably about understandable career protection and good old 'gets along well with others' shoring up.

It's kind of sad that L.A. built a whole historic Wagner festival around such a crappy 'Ring' production. Kind of defeats the point, I would think. Back to the drawing board for LA Opera. The sad irony of this Ring debacle is that after it's over Wagner will probably be banished to the Outer Desert for a good 30 years as far as L.A. is concerned. Great job. We're back to Seattle and New York being the epicenters of American 'Ring'-ness.

[ChevalierDupin]

There is nothing in their published letter that suggests either singer has taken back what they have said about their relationship with Freyer or their personal sentiments working within this production. While it does seem a bit vague, I would be inclined to believe that the "fantastic, history-making project" is more in reference to the L.A. Opera taking on such a project, working with a conductor of the ilk as Maestro Conlon, and being subtly aware that, whether the outcome is positive or negative, the project is most decidedly "history-making."

I must disagree with OC in regarding this letter as crass. They have made it clear that the reporter and editors centered the article around the aspects of the production that met with their disapproval and neglected to balance out the published interview with the facets of their work that make this art form rewarding and enjoyable, regardless of the condition of a given production or relationship with a director/conductor, et al.

I, for one, applaud these singers for speaking out about their concerns in a production that exists to create controversy. More singers should feel at liberty to speak their minds without threat of losing their contracts because when it all comes down to it, the art form cannot and will not exist without the singers. If sets and lighting and costumes and special effects are introduced to a point where they inhibit a singer from accomplishing their responsibilities to the level of preparedness one hopes they have achieved, then it is an egregious and unforgivable error on behalf of the company to have allowed such interference. Ultimately it is irresponsible and neglectful not only to the singers but also to the audience and any media created for posterity and public consumption. Creating theatrical effect and displaying concept all has its place and can be effective, until it crosses that line which prohibits the hired musician from succeeding musically.

[Tim]

This all boils down to one thing: how are these two singing? Invariably when artists allow themselves to go down this path, no matter how justified some of their concerns are, they are driven by insecurity. As one of them said, they are paid professionals. If they really hated the entire experience that much, they needed to quit. Of course they wouldn't do that, serious $$$ and reputation is at stake, so this whining in a local newspaper was their next best choice.

What is clear is that they both have the same management (interestingly, they happen to be European), and they have all realized by now that they may have put any future collaboration with LA Opera - and elsewhere - at risk, so they are trying to do damage control. If I understand correctly, this apology is not a public one, but a private one within the company. I would love to know if their agents knew they were going to be so critical in those interviews, or if the company had any inkling they were going to do that. I don't think their respective nationalities have anything to do with anything, but certainly companies around the world will be well aware that they both acted in a such a manner.

They must have known Freyer's work, generally. They were probably just incredibly frustrated that their US Ring had to be like this. I think they might have gotten away with commenting after the fact, that's a more discreet alternative when done diplomatically. The public knows that the singers don't come up with the concept or determine blocking, for the most part, so they aren't held responsible when something fails or falls flat. There is no need for public disclaimers of any kind, in truth. And to do so during a run is unfair to everyone involved, even if the views they are expressing are reflective of the majority of the participants. Perhaps they wanted to create the publicity intentionally, but then members of the board protested?

[Sasha]

Anything on the record from Conlon? These singers may have felt empowered because 1), they are Wagnerian interpreters and we all know those don't grow on trees, and 2), they felt they were speaking for him as well to some extent, so they wouldn't be penalized in any way.

[99bots]

They suggest that artists have no one to turn to at LA Opera to express concerns? That is pure bunk. There is always someone to turn to. They just made a stupid mistake thinking they could speak freely in the press. We know other singers who have made the same mistake! It may be satisfying in the moment, but it ultimately haunts the artist on some level and does nothing to change the circumstances.

[El Cajon]

@Tim, If Linda Watson is European, then exactly which European country is her birthplace, San Francisco, California located in?

Or are you saying her and Treleaven's management is European? If so, what does this have to do with anything? These artists had a right to speak their mind if they thought their physical well-being was at risk.

Directors have been tyrannizing opera for years, often foisting their dark fantasies on the public in the name of art (c.f. Bieto), when it's really crap, without valid artistic purpose. I wish the entire profession would rise up against these directoral egomaniacs, so the charade ends.

In Freyer's case, I don't think he is as cheesy as Bieto and some of the others. But by all accounts, the entire project should have been turned on its head and re-thought before it got this far and the citizens of L.A. County who ponied up $14 million for this production have every right to be irate.

Finally, Seattle and NYC are not the only American cities to stage Rings. San Francisco Opera will be serving up its complete cycle next summer and Lyric Opera of Chicago has staged two complete cycles during the past 14 years. Actually, I'm not sure we even have a Ring epicenter in this country. Certainly not on the order of some European cities and the Bayreuth Festival.

[JHC]

Who here has actually seen any of the productions yet? I have tickets only to Goetterdaemmerung on the 16th.
I'd also be curious to hear how Linda Watson sounds nowadays. When I heard her sing Bruennhilde at Bayreuth in 2007, the sound was loud but not always attractive.

[Warren]

El Cajon, good point.

[Ysabel]

LOL at the misunderstanding. "History in the making" can easily be misheard as "crappy Freyer staging" when you've got a cardboard mask on your head.

I haven't seen it yet but I am pretty curious now.

[LynB.]

"But by all accounts"

No, not by all accounts.

"and the citizens of L.A. County who ponied up $14 million for this production have every right to be irate."

The poor things wouldn't be half as irate if they ponied up some dough for anything sports related, I'd bet.

[Tim]

I am fully aware Linda Watson is not European. I was responding to the commenter above who felt there was some significance to the artists' nationalities, and so I pointed out that their management is European simply as a detail of interest. I do think their agencies might feel a bit squeamish about their actions, whatever future fallout you want to consider on either side of the pond. Linda sings regularly at Bayreuth, so I imagine her niche in the rep is secure. The Germans don't tend to be controversy-averse so it probably won't be an issue.

People need to understand that if a singer has a problem with a director then they need to avoid working with them. Accepting an engagement and then going to the press when it isn't a pleasing experience is just not professional, I don't care who gave it their blessing, if anyone in LA actually did. The idea that the journalist cherry-picked only their negative comments is doubtful. Or, to put it another way, there were plenty of negative comments to choose from, in that case! If these two signed their contracts not knowing who would create the productions, then I guess it's their bad luck. Happens all the time.

The idea that singers have the freedom (financial) and the clout to put a stop to objectionable - to some - stagings everywhere is a fantasy. It is, instead, the public who can express their judgement by not buying tickets. Houses pay attention to box office, nothing else really matters.

As for safety issues, everyone in this field knows there is in-house, labor law recourse for these concerns. The press is not an effective means for airing them. Singers and their representation do have some leverage during the course of rehearsals and performances if there is something blatantly unsafe going on.

[JM]

"The idea that singers have the freedom (financial) and the clout to put a stop to objectionable - to some - stagings everywhere is a fantasy. It is, instead, the public who can express their judgement by not buying tickets. Houses pay attention to box office, nothing else really matters."

Isn't that exactly what is happening here. LA Opera is having to discount the tickets because it is not selling. This Ring is a mess. You have to wonder if LA Opera is going to go the way of Pacific Opera because of it.