Opera Chic

The NYCO Dissolution and Aftermath

When the listing cruise liner, NYCOncordia, appealed for a $1 million Kickstarter patch last month, we called it fair game, despite its detached & passionless marketing approach that made no attempt at a meaningful connection with its check-writing public (or PayPal transferring public).

But it why should it have? We're not convinced that NYCO was convinced that such a steep sum was attainable from it's proletarian, grassroots public, unlike The Metropolitan Opera's white knights straddling its many-millions white stallions. So here's our #surprisedface when, 22 days later, the experimental fundsourcing project failed and NYCO filed for bankruptcy.

Now comes the unwieldy aftermath of the star-crossed organization whose Kickstarter attempt brilliantly, narcissistically shifted the "I" to the "You" -- the audience (or obviously, lack of audience at 2,108 backers pledging a total of $301k) -- and rewrote its demise with a morally-ambiguous shrug -- after all, whose fault is it really if the public couldn't toss down the $1 million lifeline? The léger de main may be why some are just. really. super. cranky. about the ungraceful exit, like Manuela Hoelterhoff, who digs in for Bloomberg.

Peter Dobrin at the Inquirer surmises that a bureaucratic slash & burn will lay a new groundwork for NYCO 2: The Reawakening. Hopefully its Act II prelude will be more graceful than its Act I finale. 

NYCO Kickstarter: Opera for the People, Campaign for the People

The post-Lincoln Center era for the New York City Opera hasn't been easy, and while it's not OC's style of raising funds, she's not judgmental about their latest fundraising experiment on Kickstarter, nor is she critical of the cash-flush high-rollers who've turned to crowd-funding (Zach Braff got $3 million, Veronica Mars got $5 million, etc.) Don't hate the player, hate the idiots who line their wallets.

So when NYC's volkstheater sent around a PR blast yesterday announcing its latest fundraising project -- a kickstarter campaign asking for a $1 million donation* from its adoring (and not-so-adoring) public -- we weighted means vs. ends.

The arts & culture funding landscape has drastically changed over the past decade and we support NYCO's fearless dive into the murky, crowd-funding waters, which could very well become part of future fundraising strategies for opera/symphony organizations. Only time will tell. But unless we've missed something in print or post, NYCO's initiative was announced in a bare-bones email blast with anemic, folded-in Steel quotes -- no heartfelt, personally-penned appeal letter that could have been splashed across a full-page NY Times ad (estimated at $55k - $100k [5.5% to 10% of the final $1 million goal], a fraction of the salaries amassed by Steel & Co. or of its advertising campaign budget like the NYC MTA package). New etiquette for a new fundraising model? We wouldn't be offended if you called us old fashioned.

Still, even for NYCO detractors, in a world where Kickstarter can help raise $1 million to fund a sweatshirt (a sweatshirt!?), its a compelling reason to help them match their goal.

*NYCO needs $20 million total by the end of the year: $7 million by the end of September to ensure the 2013-14 season of four operas and $13 million by the end of the year to ensure future seasons.

NYCO Goes to Auction [<-- Not the Title of a New Opera]

One part tragic, one part wonder. The New York City Opera prepares to auction 90 percent of its inventory -- props, staging, machinery and costumes -- from more than 80 of its past productions kept in a warehouse in North Bergan, NJ.

Video here, bidding here. It all goes down on January 30. Dibs on the [wonderful costume] that [famous singer] wore in [that opera].

Mario Batali's Opera Debut, Thanks to NYCO

The photoshop above is from Eater, where we've just read that Mario Batali will make his opera debut in NYCO's La Traviata tomorrow night, appearing in cameo during one of the party scenes. Let's hope that the dressers can get him out of his crocs.

Jenny From the Block on NYCO on the Chopping Block

This whole New York City Opera demise thing is just so lame. So how about the perspective from a singer who did her time at the New York City Opera while it was thriving? American mezzo Jennifer Rivera, who keeps a blog, wrote an insightful post about the whole situation.

Musician Lock Out at NYC Opera

This was a sucky weekends for New York City Opera and its musicians. The AP reports that the latest troubles for the 68-year-old opera company, under GM and AD direction of George Steel since 2009, has gotten even more troublesome with a musician lock out.

The opera company's new season is set to open on February 12 with La Traviata although after this new development, there's no guarantee.

"The People’s Opera Returns to the People": NYCO's 2011-12 Season

New York City Opera under GM and Artistic Director George Steel has just announced their next season of three four productions, stating that they're making "New York City its stage".

From the press release, Steel said, “Today, ‘The People’s Opera’ is coming to meet the people of New York in Brooklyn, in Harlem, in Central Park, on the West Side, the East Side – wherever New Yorkers live and love their favorite opera company.” [...] “New York City Opera’s new home stage will be New York City itself – a theater with eight million seats.”

The season opens at BAM in February with a new Jonathan Miller staging of La Traviata followed by the NYC premiere of Wainwright's Prima Donna. March brings a Christopher Alden production of Cosi' fan tutte at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College on the UWS. May finds the NYCO in Harlem at the El Museo del Barrio for  Telemann’s Orpheus.

They're also collaborating with The Public Theater for a Fall 2012 production of Free Shakespeare Opera at the Delacorte Theater.

The Family and Concerned Friends of the New York City Opera: The Letter

 

After commentary and opinion from many on the precarious future of New York City Opera, here's the full text of the open letter penned by American soprano Catherine Malfitano and Cori Ellison. 

Sh*t Just Got Real: Opera Stars Revolt NYCO's Relocation

In response to NYCO's May announcement that they'd be leaving Lincoln Center's David H. Koch theater to seek cheaper venues around the city, opera's luminaries have rallied against the most severe of NYCO GM George Steel's cost-cutting measures.

Co-written by American soprano Catherine Malfitano and Cori Ellison, a letter detailing the case against Steel's decision has already been by Plácido Domingo and José Carreras, among others.

The letter comes one day after the NYTimes ran a preview of a disjointed NYCO 2011-12 season, provided on an agreement of anonymity from a NYCO company official and member, officially to be announced on Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

Last Call for NYCO's VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab Submissions

 

OC has an infinity with New York City Opera's VOX program (remember the time General Manager and Artistic Director of NYCO George Steel spoke to OC all about it?) As an initiative that fosters the untapped creativity of contemporary American opera composers, the NYCO hosts a free-of-charge, open-to-the public workshop every year that celebrates emerging opera composers and librettists. Entering its 12th season, the program finds new talent, encourages new audiences, and makes contemporary American opera accessible by staging works with NYCO musicians, performers and fund$. 

VOX put out their last call for this year's submission with the deadline set at October 1, which means all documents must be postmarked by then. It's like getting in your taxes, but cooler!

Gerry's Golden Parachute

 
NYCO paid Gerry Mortier a cool $400,000 for refusing to work as their general manager.

He flies first class.

George Steel, The Opera Chic Interview, From Lincoln Center

(Above: Photo George Steel by Ren Perez)

Today opens VOX: Contemporary American Opera Lab, New York City Opera’s annual festival of free-of-charge, open-to-the public orchestral excerpts from new American operas (American composers and librettists). Currently on its 11th season and running for two days, the musical works are performed by the City Opera Orchestra, chorus, and soloists, and takes place at NYU's Skirball Centerfor the Performing Arts (free, but reservations need to be made at NYCO's website.

In the VOX program, NYCO concentrates their four point mission of making opera accessible to all audiences, championing new works, promoting American opera and encouraging young talent. It also uniquely provides a fertile staging ground for future NYCO productions, where works-in-progress are heard, giving composers a rare opportunity to see their works realized in true scale. Basically, it's scene, but for the classical music scensters.  

General Manager and Artistic Director of NYCO, George Steel, is dedicated to giving VOX the attention it deserves, completely involved in the programming, and making it increasingly central to NYCO's heart. He brings eleven former years of programming contemporary music from his leadership role as Executive Director of Miller Theatre at Columbia University, a well-rounded base for curating two days of varied music.

George Steel recently spoke with Opera Chic from New York City Opera’s home, the David H. Koch Theater, to give her the latest on what’s going on with NYCO and VOX.

Click the link below to read the full interview (including Steel's favorite composers and what he sometimes wears under his performance jacket!)

New York City Opera Reopens The Spring Season: OOoooh La La La La

(Above: Ryan McGinley's Running Fireworks, 2007)

New York City Opera is back on the scene tonight (at the tricksy time of 7pm) for Emmanuel Chabrier's L'Étoile's three-act opéra bouffe, one of the three operas available during the NYCO's 2009/10 Spring installment. Emmanuel Plasson conducts the Mark Lamos production with Jean-Paul Fouchécourt as King Ouf. L'Étoile's artwork is from Ryan McGinley's "I Know Where the Summer Goes" series (NSFW bewbs & wieners warning).

NYCO is offering a Boys Night for the Friday, March 26 performance of L'Étoile reserved for "opera queens and cultural gays" hosted by drag performer Shequida (photo below) so you can go and give them a big welcome back over your Cointreau cosmo. 

 

And below is our absolute favorite photo from Ryan McGinley's "I know Where the Summer Goes" series, making this post a whole bunch of "what the?"

 

New York City Opera's 2010-2011 Season

New York City Opera announced today their 2010-2011 season, a five production fusion of new (and newer) opera with a slap of Donizetti bel canto to round it out. If you can't wait until next October for the new season to begin, the current season picks-up from hiatus next week with Emmanuel Chabrier's L'Etoile and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

In the cut next season is Bernstein's A Quite Place (October/November); Strauss's Intermezzo (October/November), Donizetti's l'elisir (March/April); Triple-bill "Monodramas" (March/April) that features John Zorn's La Machine de l’être, Arnold Schoenberg’s Erwartung, and Morton Feldman’s Neither; and Stephen Schwartz's Seance on a Wet Afternoon.

We're tickled to see NYCO kicking it old school with a tribute to Radio Raheem (from Spike Lee's 1989 epic film "Do the Right Thing") in their l'elisir promo (NYCO's promo photo is above, the real Raheem is below). Thanks guys...now OC's in the mood for Public Enemy and pizza.

Maestro (Yes, Maestro) George Steel at Miller Theatre

 

While on winter break from NYCO's 2009/2010 cost-efficient, abbreviated season at the David H. Koch Theater, George Steel could be improving his backswing or learning new yoga moves or relaxing in Palm Springs. But the hardworking GM of the NYCO shows-off his latent, classical music proclivities during his downtime.

On Saturday, February 6 in NYC, Steel goes back to his conducting roots and returns to Columbia University's Miller Theatre as maestro for their Early Music Series. He'll be leading the Vox Vocal Ensemble in a program "The Art of the Canon" that follows the development of the canon from the 13th through the 20th century. We're not worried that Steel doesn't have the conducting chops to lead the Vox Vocal Ensemble -- after all, he's the founder!

Passé Esther for NYCO Needs a More Thorough Revival

 

(Above: View of Grand Tier lobby from NYCO's David H. Koch Theater)

Sixteen years after its world premiere at the New York City Opera, Hugo Weisgall's atonal grand opera, Esther, was a cunning attempt from George Steel to level the playing field for the newer audiences that he's actively rustling. Opera Chic didn't attend the 1993 unveiling for a few good reasons (OC was too busy with Pokemon and the Spice Girls). Esther's a win for NYCO because it's contemporary American opera wrapped in an easy sell: a classic heroine worthy of Puccini's and Verdi's craftiest lionesses coupled with a digestible English libretto (by Charles Kondek) aided by a familiar plot. But what's clear after its 16 years of absence (where Weisgall's opera was virtually untouched upon), is that for such grandeur -- twelve scenes spanning over three acts -- Esther remains an opera that flits soon from memory, and the goddess fails to inspire.

Although we don't blame Hugo Weisgall, the late Jewish American composer -- who passed away in 1997 -- for his oft-soaring composition nor Kondek's streamlined libretto. Instead it's a dreadfully pseudo-minimalist production that turns a potential masterpiece into a footnote of American contemporary opera.

Weisgall had always shared a healthy relationship with the NYCO, having premiered his "Six Characters in Search of an Author" in 1959 and "Nine Rivers from Jordan" in 1968 under NYCO's auspices. Esther, after a blighted commissioning process in the late 1980s, was ultimately conceived as a joint commission with San Francisco Opera and premiered in the Fall of 1993 as part of NYCO's World Premiere Festival for their 50th anniversary.

The Old Testament tale is about young Persian-Jewish maiden, Esther, who becomes queen and uses her pardoning powers to save her fellow Jews from extermination via bargaining prowess with King Xerxes, while ordering the death of the King's anti-semitic Prime Minister, Haman (of the delicious Hamantaschen legacy) -- scarily barbaric, 5th Century B.C. stuff.

American Voices for an American Opera Company: NYCO Dazzles NYC

An inscription to $100 million gift-giver, David H. Koch, on the inside cover of the evening's program, first and foremost, to fête the philanthropist responsible for the extensive (and much needed) renovation to the home theater of the New York City Opera (and NYC Ballet) -- Koch accepted the theater's namesake, but under the implicit terms that the right should expire after 50 years time, joking that he would hope someone else would take-on the surmised, estimated renovations in 2060.

And so George Steel's first season for NYCO launch last night to a well-coiffed & heeled crowd in a program of mix & match musical theater and operetta, American Voices, shared among past, present, and sometimes tenuously-linked NYCO singers (with the noticeable exception of ~star power~ Measha Brueggergosman and Rufus Wainwright).

Steel spoke to the audience about the renovation benchmarks. In addition to the dissolution of the amplification-acoustic system and the removal of carpeted swaths, the theater now has a better layout with new seats (quite comfortable, evocative of the Salzburger Festspiele's Haus für Mozart's seats with aisles wide enough to accommodate the passage of the widest row-colleagues); new bathrooms (bright enough to reapply faded Dior Addict); a new metal stage curtain (one of the gear-boy stagehands loudly whooped from backstage at the mention); new artist dressing rooms; new lighting; and the coolest yet -- a larger orchestra pit that sinks and raises from pit to stage level, according to repertoire and whims of the conductor. Giddiness in the air, the new theater was gleaming and inviting.

Singing mostly in English (with a smattering of French), singers took the stage in recital format with sparkling dresses and smart suits. All in good spirit, with light hearts (with the exception of the scary Southern Gothic Revival Scene from Susannah sung by a booming Samuel Ramey). Measha Brueggergosman, in bare feet and a Magpie dress (which OC thought was a Vivienne Westwood -- that is, if Vivienne Westwood had explored a Scottish fetish while vacationing, pantyless, in the Wild West), was full-on fierce, belting-out a swooning Gershwin "My Man's Gone Now". Jersey boy Marc Kundisch gave a witty Rodgers and Hammerstein "Billy's Soliloquy", while the crowd warmly-received Mezzo Joyce Castle's "I am Easily Assimilated" from Bernstein's Candide. In the only mic'd-up performance of the night (a hearty good riddance to NYCO's amplification system), Rufus Wainwright sang "That's Entertainment" replete with a cane (although top hat missing -- Rufino wouldn't' *dare* mess-up his hair even in the name of low-brow art). Spotted with selections from Barber, Golijov, and Bolcom, the New York City Ballet tickled the stage in an excerpt from Adams' Hallelujah Junction. Ending the night on a cool note, Joyce DiDonato sang Bernstein's "Take Care of This House".

In a night that New Yorkers weren't sure would ever happen, NYCO gracefully absorbed the blows from the past two years of mounting debt and managerial shake-downs, proving to the city (and more importantly themselves) that NYCO could remain as buoyant as ever.

NYCO Opening Night Gala: The Photos

 

A healthy mix of opera-for-the-people people and NYC socialites greeted New York City Opera's Opening Night Gala last night in Lincoln Center, where George Steel's ambitious initiatives for the newly renovated David H. Koch theater raised two million dollars, the most lucratively-successful opening night in New York City Opera's 50+ years.

(Above: George Steel)

Click the link below for many more...

New York City Opera Countdown!

The season is upon us! And although everyone's prematurely breaking out the vintage Alber Elbaz embroidered Xmas sweaters and the Marni seasonal jewelry, it's the season of New York City Opera's resilient & pragmatic 5-opera mini-season. Tomorrow night opens a preview of the 2009-10 season (which operatically-officially begins on Saturday, November 7 with Hugo Weisgall’s Esther), with NYCO hosting an Opening Night Gala concert honoring renovated theater namesake, David H. Koch. The evening's festivities will also honor the many unique voices that have shaped NYCO's illustrious history, with a guest appearance by the New York City Ballet.

No doubt GM and Artistic Director George Steel will be on hand to welcome his guests and benefactors, still less than a year into owning his official title. The Little Engine that Could, Steel's the great hope for spiriting the cash-strapped NYCO back to its humble roots when NYCO was known as a financially accessible and artistically courageous Volkstheater, championing American singers and composers to diverse audiences.

As inviting as comfort food (think pumpkin purée and crispy braised chicken), this season offers the classic rapey/zombie-knight opera, Mozart-Da Ponte's Don Giovanni. Director Christopher Alden directs the hawt, impressionable young cast in a new production heavy on sexual angst. Daniel Okulitch leads as a swaggering rockstar in his NYCO debut. Opening on November 8 and running until November 22, this opera also boasts an "Artist Dialouge (on November 12) at the MUSEUM OF SEX! Fo'reals!

Check out this clip below for a preview. Highlight? Daniel Okulitch says "panties are dropping" and our Pavlovian panties (vintage Cadolle, of course) drop with it.

NYCO's Numbers

GM as in, of course, Gérard Mortier.

The New York Times on NYCO's red sea:

During Ms. Baker’s tenure, City Opera has raided its endowment — which now stands at $16 million, down from $57 million when she was appointed in December 2003 — to pay off debts and cover operating expenses.

...

“I don’t see how they could not close,” said Robert W. Wilson, a former City Opera chairman who now serves on the Metropolitan Opera board. “There is a slight chance that they can remain open, but where would the money come from?”

The Red Sea: New York City Opera's More Busted Than You Think

Bloomberg news penny-pinches the General Motors of opera:

The embattled New York City Opera lost $11.3 million in the year ending June 30, 2008, when the company still believed that Belgian Gerard Mortier would lead it into a new era.

According to City Opera’s tax return, provided to Bloomberg upon request, revenue, including ticket sales and income from donations and investments, fell 23 percent to $32.9 million. Expenses jumped 11 percent to $44.2 million.

On the other hand, however rarely, the occasional client did indeed buy a GM car.

And by the way,

The period covered by the document predates the 2008-09 season when the company did not perform at its Lincoln Center home, citing renovations at the David H. Koch Theater.

And if you wonder how much money Gerry Mortier was paid, they're not telling.

Mortier Speaks: "I Accepted Sacrifices For NYCO, But There Are Limits, "Lissner A Natural For Paris in 2013"

Gerry Mortier, that little barrel (Barrique?) of surprises, finally spake to his hometown newspaper, Le Monde.

Re: his decision to pull out of the NYCO directorship: "I had been promised a 60 million dollars budget, then it was reduced because of the crisis. I accepted sacrifices, but there are limits".

Re: his tenure in Paris, he brags of having lowered the average age of the operagoers and of having created five euro tickets targeted to the young; he mentioned he had been offered Berlin but "Barenboim and I would be two tigers on the same mountain".  He admits his new post, Madrid's Teatro Real, is not one of the world's top opera houses, but he appreciates the challenge because he considers Spanish audiences to be progressive, unlike the French and most other big opera house audiences.

He finally drops a little bomb meant to create a few ripples here in Milan; re: Scala GM Stéphane Lissner he says: "The Spanish wanted Lissner, too. But I think he is the natural future director of Opéra de Paris in 2013".

Probably news to Milan mayor and -- under the weird statute it enjoys -- Scala CEO Letizia Moratti, who plans to keep Lissner in charge of La Scala until the 2015 Expo year.

OC EXCLUSIVE: It's George. Man of Steel for NYCO

It's Steel.

***update***

The New York Times duly comes in second after Opera Chic (it's not a contest, guys!) and now confirms that Steel got the NYCO job. There's a small quote by Steel himself who says he plans to "dive headfirst" into the job.

Careful there!

Hold onto Your Hats: Gerardo & NYCO Come Clean [full stop]

The undeniably secksay Michael Rice of the undeniably awesome OperaNow! hints that the New York City Opera's PR staff is currently working overtime.

No word if the anticipated steamy, top secret PR copy relays information about Mortier, or the unstable future of the NYCO -- or both. The only sure thing is that it will be here at the latest on Monday. You can F5 F5 F5 to your heart's content here.

{Update} Well, it's official, The New York Times reports that Mortier is OUTTA THARE!!

A Festspielhaus Divided, Part LXXVIII: Nike Wants NYCO

Nike Wagner goes tribal, hints at Bayreuth/NYCO future coproductions:

Wagner said that if their bid succeeded, the festival and the City Opera would work together in some way, possibly by collaborating on productions. They were also proposing a separate mini-season at the festival's theater in June, perhaps a long weekend in which the works of other composers would be performed, Wagner said. She called it a "kind of laboratory."
...
"I think that Wieland Wagner's offspring should never have been excluded, or other offspring," she said. "The family consists of more tribes than just Wolfgang Wagner's tribe." She has been critical of Katharina Wagner's work in the past, calling it "old wine in a new wineskin."

Nike Wagner said in the end it was more important for Bayreuth to have good leadership than a leader named Wagner. "It's part of my heritage," she said. "I'm concerned about how will Bayreuth continue in the future, and I'm engaged in this problem, and I want the best possible leadership. This has priority. And then come the tribe and the Wagner business."

Nike Wagner has known Mortier for many years, she said. "I've followed him all the way through his artistic activities," she added. "I admire his work very much. Intellectually our minds are very similar." Asked how, she said, "In the way of being more future-minded, looking out for new and best ways to present opera, to present the arts."

Love is in the air!