Last month, Fabio Luisi, The Metropolitan Opera's Principal Guest Conductor from the 2010-11 season, had been also named Principal Conductor of Genoa's glorious Teatro Carlo Felice; shortly thereafter, it was revealed that the opera house's finances were in much, much worse shape than everybody was led to first believe.
In a recent interview with "la Repubblica", the Genovese maestro had much to say about the financial crisis of the theater, which came as a surprise in its severity. Luisi's appointment, which was the result of his willingness to help Carlo Felice, was tied to certain conditions and programing that never materialized. Of course, he'll help Genova and Carlo Felice in whatever means that they'd ask for his help, but without an Artistic Director and without the prospect of immediate programming, a figure like a Principal Conductor in this moment would be a premature, unnescessary choice.
He went on to say that he's willing to help Carlo Felice as much as he can, but without a firm contract, it's impossible to keep oneself "on call" all the time. Regardless, he'll make himself available for the theater's needs as early as this October and also has batted around the idea of a New Year's Concert.
Continue reading after the jump for Maestro Luisi's ideas to help Carlo Felice out of the economic crisis and what he thinks about the state of Italian opera [all translations OC's kthnxbi].