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All of a sudden Il Divo is in the news everywhere. The New Yorker even did a Talk piece about their groupies--middle-aged ladies with apparently waaay too much time and money on their hands. I'm worried if nobody stops the group Peter Gelb will commission Andrew Lloyd Webber to write an opera for them to sing at the Met.

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Things are going to get interesting at the Met under the new regime.

Peter Gelb's bold effort to remake the Metropolitan Opera drew praise from the opera world yesterday as a necessary jolt to what some see as a stodgy institution. At the same time, the risks quickly became apparent, with some longtime audience members and others sensing betrayal of cherished traditions.

"The Met certainly needs a shake-up," said John Allison, the editor of the London-based magazine Opera. "Looked at from a sort of European perspective, lots of the arts in American certainly seem exciting, but the big New York institutions seem a bit moribund," Mr. Allison added. "I'm a little bit wary of what Mr. Gelb has in mind, because I'm not sure he has enough core operatic experience. But at the same time, these plans sound on the whole quite exciting."

Anthony Tommasini in the Times:

In a recent interview, Mr. Gelb said that contemporary opera could use a jolt from composers who have worked in musical theater, jazz and popular music. He also said that the opera world had much to learn from the Broadway model of working on a show for months in advance, with members of the creative team bickering and bartering, revising, throwing out songs, writing new ones, jiggling the book, trying to get things right.

So he is inaugurating a collaborative program with the Lincoln Center Theater. Nine composers of diverse profiles will initially take part, ranging from the elegant musical theater composers Adam Guettel and Jeanine Tesori, to the brash (some would say crass) contemporary classical composer Michael Torke.

I really don’t see what Broadway has to offer that opera doesn’t. It’s easy to make jokes about Webber, but I’d not want to see Sondheim at the Met, either – he doesn’t write operas any more than Webber, in spite of the efforts of some to make out that he does.

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Patrice Chereau? I guess that Gelb is going to drag the Met kicking and screaming from the 1960's straight into the 1970's. I mean we're not exactly talking cutting edge here, let alone bleeding edge.

I, for one, am thrilled that he's bringing the Minghella Madame Butterfly to New York. (I hope it's the same physically stunning sets and costumes as well.) There's nothing outre about this production. If he had done nothing else in Doctor Atomic, John Adams has written the first 21st century "greatest hit" aria for Oppenheimer to end the first act, a stunner, and a fabulous aria for Kitty Oppenheimer. (I would not be surprised to learn that these are already being used on the audition circuit, especially where an English-language aria is required.) And there's plenty more to listen to, particularly in the scenes with Teller and Wilson. (Now if they'd just jettison the dated -- not even from the right era -- generic, Lucinda Childs choreography.) Both of these productions are acclaimed; Gelb is not exactly going out on a limb. Golijov -- yes! -- but it's not like he's programming an unknown serialist.

I'm going to have to figure out how to get to New York more often. The Met has given me little incentive over the last decade, but the Gelb era threatens to make the Met appealing. I may even have to see what Karita Matila and George Wolfe -- whose portrait would not be next to the definition of "Eurotrash" in the dictionary -- do with Tosca, after I promised myself I'd let that opera rest for at least a decade.

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I'm also looking forward to the Minghella

Butterly" after your wonderful review on the board last month, helene.

I'm on the same page as Zerbinetta here. I was very intrigued by Helene's report

on the Minghella .

I put Puccini operas in storage sometimes after I've seen them too many times in a short time frame and it's time for Butterfly to come out. This sounds like a great opportunity for a reaquaintance.

Richard

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Millo's "house" three weeks before the show, when I went by the theater to get a seat or two was completely sold out on the bottom and 1/3 sold in the rest of the house, this according to the screen they showed me when I requested seats specifically. Advertising on a thursday and canceling on a sunday show an obvious disagreement. Advertising in arts and crafts section of the newspaper not in the arts section because you get a block deal in the area where delsener always places ads for his rock concerts is his fault not hers. I think the number was just fine.

As for Ms. Fleming not selling out Manon, which I found to be quite alarming as well, Millo did sell out her Met Ballo, and her Tosca. Millo performs in quality not quantity these days. For whatever reason. falling out of favor with those in charge has happened to many people along the way.

As for calling herself a saviour, for some of us, she is. She stated that Nebtremko had followed an example she set, with the tremendous publicity that followed the story, everyone's pr took notice. She stated partly because of her lack of experience and not a full enough program in maturity, because "Carnegie Hall deserves great respect and the public of New York deserves great respect." In Millo's cancelation story she used those exact words. Why not feel that someone was influenced by her decision?

If that glorious singing and real understanding of the Italian style is pathetic, LOLthen good for her. Let's hope for more like her.

When she sings, they are PLENTY of us who want to hear her....

Edited by Helene
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evacado1, plenty of people dislike Millo (me included) and it's not just her pretentious persona and her drama-queen antics. It's the state of her voice. She consistently sings under the pitch, her voice is unsteady, and she thinks screaming is emoting. I've heard tapes from her performances for several years and have come away with the same opinion. And the infuriating thing they call her "the only real Italian soprano since Tebaldi." Tebaldi was the real thing. Millo is a cheap imitation.

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evacado1, plenty of people dislike Millo (me included) and it's not just her pretentious persona and her drama-queen antics. It's the state of her voice. She consistently sings under the pitch, her voice is unsteady, and she thinks screaming is emoting. I've heard tapes from her performances for several years and have come away with the same opinion. And the infuriating thing they call her "the only real Italian soprano since Tebaldi." Tebaldi was the real thing. Millo is a cheap imitation.

You have the right to your opinion....what you describe is not something associated with Millo.

Anyone can have a bad night, what you desribe is what I hear in every other soprano on a good night. It is the age of horrid, bland, boring, tremolo voices that many think acceptable. Millo understands the Italian language, and cares about style and proper utterance.

Her personality is wonderful, rare and very appreciated by those who know.

May I suggest that the truth doesn't come from hearing tapes, it comes from hearing a person live. Go hear her live and hear the way it should be sung. They use to say Tebaldi sang flat too.....who remembers the "they" now, we all remember the great voice and shining example of Tebaldi. Millo was her protege and they were very close friends up till her death. You think it matters at all what someone says when compared with Renata's support and praise of her voice? Or Zinka's praise, or Magda's praise

Callas used to be slammed. Tebaldi, Corelli. all the greats have to endure ......I love Millo, and will continue to cheer even louder now....

I edited this myself for those sensitive types......FarrellFan, if you are named for the great singer, she was wonderful also. Brava.

Edited by Helene
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Just what I was thinking, Farrell Fan.

To remind all of us, and in the temporary absence of other Moderators, here's a relevent passage from Ballet Talk's Rules. (I realize that they are NOT relevent to many other internet discussion boards, but they ARE here.)

(QUOTE: Courtesy: Everyone must be treated courteously, and ad hominem, ... attacks ... are not acceptable and will be removed. If you keep in mind the following phrases -- "Golden Rule," "respectfully disagree," and "Miss Manners" -- you should be fine. (For acceptable ways to say something stronger, please see Mr. Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.)

(I have deleted portions of this statement not directly applicable to this ... discussion.)

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You have the right to your opinion....what you describe is not something associated with Millo.

Anyone can have a bad night, what you desribe is what I hear in every other soprano on a good night. It is the age of horrid, bland, boring, tremolo voices that many think acceptable. Millo understands the Italian language, and cares about style and proper utterance.

Her personality is wonderful, rare and very appreciated by those who know. I edited this myself for those sensitive types..

Well I'm not a "sensitive type." But I must respectfully disagree here. "Every other soprano" on a good night sings horribly? Well I have gone to the opera quite a bit and have heard sopranos on great nights. I think it's good that you are such a huge fan of Millo, but I don't think you need to disparage "every other soprano on a good night." And I also think that Millo is far from the "only soprano" that understands Italian opera.

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Well I'm not a "sensitive type." But I must respectfully disagree here. "Every other soprano" on a good night sings horribly? Well I have gone to the opera quite a bit and have heard sopranos on great nights. I think it's good that you are such a huge fan of Millo, but I don't think you need to disparage "every other soprano on a good night." And I also think that Millo is far from the "only soprano" that understands Italian opera.

I too, respectfully disagree.

Look, every other soprano today, with one or two, RARE exceptions, sings in thirds....I swear, I have listened to performances and cannot tell you what note they are on. Also, at over 80, I have HEARD live what was great singing, and I am embrarrassed to say, we took a lot of it for granted.

No soprano remotely resembles, except Millo, the type of singing that was considered standard years ago. A Caniglia, A Muzio, a Milanov, Tebaldi, also sang in the mask, and sang with a legato

that was considered absolute. Much like the Ballet, traditions were adhered to, letter of the law. You strayed only with the invention of a esteemed choreographer.....

Now, people sing in the wrong resonsances. I feel that might explain the feeling of listening to thirds.....the assents to top are not of one cloth. Ponselle was often critized by the young pups of the day, saying she was too homgenous! Too one tone, boring. I have never heard a voice more true in my life...the overtone was dead on. Flagstad too. Dull, matronly, off pitch? Hardly.

But with every age, the new authorities think they know best. I respectfully submit, they do not.

Crooning, scooping, sagging, and jazz renditions of opera happened years ago too, but we had examples of proper singing, so no one freaked. Wagnerians, real ones not the attempts we have today, sang the italian with harsh angles, and showed themselves swans out of lake....but they had real stimme so you let it roll..... NOW they are very few examples of real Italian singing.....I grew up in Milano in the late 30's and 40's and that was some education. Most of our stars today would be booed off the stage, they do not know their instruments or what they are saying. Tradition isn't bad, it is correct, and needs lifeblood to keep it going forward.

CanBelto, from an old opera lover, take my word for what it is worth, there are very few left who know at all the magic of italian opera. Millo, is one. Wishing you well, and glad you seem passionate about so great an art.

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[ADMIN BEANIE ON]

The next time I go to brunch with friends, I'm going start drinking, if this is what I'm going to come back to find.

I'd like to be very clear: the discussions on the "non-ballet" threads, including Other Performing and Fine Arts, are subject to the same courtesy rules as the ballet threads.

I've edited a number of posts here to bring them in line with the rules. bart has kindly posted the most relevant policy.

If the strident tone of this thread doesn't stop, I'm going to close it.

Now, I'm going back to listening to Frank Sinatra singing "One for My Baby"...

[ADMIN BEANIE OFF]

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Yahoo reported some news about Gelb's plans for the Met that I haven't seen reported elsewhere:

"The company will also adjust its ticket prices in an attempt to broaden its audiences. The cheapest tickets, accounting for about 11 percent of the season total, will cost $15 rather than $26; prices for the most expensive seats will rise from $320 to $375. (Ticket prices for the remaining 82 percent of tickets will be unchanged.) Under the plan, Gelb said, 'our wealthier patrons subsidize our poorer ones.'"

Now that's the way to give opera more popular appeal! I hope standing room is included in the plan (for ABT as well as for the Met).

"Levine, whose current contract as music director runs through the 2010-11 season, said Monday he will stay at least two additional seasons for a new staging of Wagner's Ring Cycle, which will be the centerpiece of the Met's 2013 celebration marking the` 200th anniversary of the composer's birth...The Met's new Ring Cycle is to be staged by Robert Lepage, who supervised Cirque du Soleil's $30 million production of 'KA' in Las Vegas last year."

The mention of Cirque du Soleil makes it sound dire. I'm unfamiliar with Lepage's work, but Googling a little bit, he seems to have some solid credentials.

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Thanks for that report, Anthony NYC. Good for the Met.

Ticket pricing for both opera and ballet surely skews the audience towards the more mature and the well-off. It was inexpensive NYC Opera pricing (and great deals in subscriptions) long ago that turned me into a Met subscriber later on.

I wonder how many ballet companies might benefit from rethinking their pricing as Mr. Gelb is apparently doing. I just came back from a performance of Miami City Ballet and noticed that the most expensive seats were sold out. while the top tier khad lots of empty seats. Perhaps raising ticket prices down below -- and lowing them for the balcony -- would be a good idea here, too.

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The big NYT article did go into some detail about the new ticket prices. I think the # of seats decreasing in price was 600. It may have an impact. It will be more than offset by the increase in Prime Orchestra seats, however, & we'll see how that goes. The prices are extortionate enough as they stand now.

Basil Twist might have been a more interesting choice for the new Ring but I don't know much about Lepage. I'll google. Thanks, AnthonyNYC

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Also on the subject of crossover, browsing a record store yesterday I picked up a promo DVD for one "East Village Opera Company." Although the members interviewed on the disc seem to think they're doing something radical, and insist, as if this validates their music, that Mozart today would be writing for electric guitars -- and I suppose he would -- to my ears the excerpted arias are rendered in dully predictable arena rock-style. I don't hear anything imaginative here, and the drumming sounds especially silly. But other opera lovers may have other reactions. All of which reminds me of "Rent" (which I haven't seen or heard). I wonder how many audience members at the Met or the State Theater came to opera through "Rent."

I finally heard this, and agree with you. Disappointing. When I sent "Che gelida manina" to a friend of mine, her only response was, "What a limp strand of spaghetti!" Not exactly what you expect from a rock group, especially one with "East Village" in its name. It did make me realize that I have not yet listened to Rene Pape's recording with the popular German rock group Rammstein, "Mein Herz brennt."

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I wonder how many audience members at the Met or the State Theater came to opera through "Rent."

Just wanted to say that I'd been to the old Met, the new Met, the State Theater and lots of other places including City Center, the Center Theater, and Randalls Island when the Salmaggi Opera Company used to perform there, before I saw "Rent." I loved "Rent" so much I bought the cast album. I also saw the Broadway "La Boheme," which I didn't like as much. I'm not sure what my point is here other than one shouldn't close one's mind to anything or necessarily believe the hype on anything. :D
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