(image taken from IHT article linked in post below)
OKAY GUYS< WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!
TEATRO: LA SCALA CHIUDE LE PORTE AL 'CANDIDE' (Teatro alla Scala closes the doors on Candide)
Milano, 28 dic. (Adnkronos) - Il Candide non andra' in scena al Teatro alla Scala di Milano. Nonostante l'opera di Berneist fosse gia' in cartellone nella stagione in corso, il Sovrintendente e Direttore Artistico del Teatro, Ste'phane Lissner ha ritenuto l'allestimento dell'opera (per la regia di Robert Carsen) ''non in linea con la produzione artistica scaligera'' ed ha dunque deciso di rinunciare alla coproduzione.
Translation: "Candide will not come on stage at Milan's Teatro alla Scala. Despite the fact that Bernstein's opera was already in all of the posters/media for the season that is already going-on right now, GM and Artistic Director Mr. Stephane Lissner has stopped all rehearsals and preparations of the opera (under the production of Robert Carsen), saying, 'It is not in line with the artistic production of La Scala,' and has therefore decided to abandon the production."
No doubt this will be making the news in the next few days. Lissner rules with an iron fist, and Lenny's ghost will not feast at La Scala.
vvvvUPDATEvvvv
The buzz here towards why Lissner dropped Candide (aside from cowering away from an already controversial new direction)? Apparently Lissner was in Paris earlier this week and saw the opera at Théâtre du Châtelet. However, rumor has it that Robert Carsen had surreptitously added some provocative and polemic speeches that were not in the original libretto by Bernstein, Hellman, Latouche, and Wilbur. NAUGHTY!
It's an Opera Apocalypse these days...