Ramification of City Opera leaving State Theater

[mussel]

From today's New York Times, "City Opera Plans New Hall With Ties to Lincoln Center.'

The New York City Opera is close to a deal to build a concert hall in the base of a new apartment building planned for the former American Red Cross site near Lincoln Center, people involved in the plan say.

In City Opera's absence, New York City Ballet will be expected to fill the State Theater.

Will ABT move in and become Lincoln Center's newest constituent?

If ABT moves in, how is it going to fill the seasons with NYCB? How about maintaining the spring Met season with an expanded fall season at the State Theater?

Fill the slots with Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor, DTH and visiting companies?

There are so many possibilities but I really wish ABT will move in and have a permanent home at Lincoln Center.

[zerbinetta]

Indeed, it would be wonderful to be able to see ABT in a house built for dance & at presumably more reasonable ticket prices. But the scheduling overlap in the very profitable spring/summer season would seem to present a great problem.

It might also mean more frequent appearances at the Met by large foreign companies, now limited to 2 weeks in late July & not every year.

[Helene]

In the 70's, ABT performed at the New York State Theater, and their season extended well into the summer. I remember this, because in 1974 I was at a summer program whose directors chose several cultural events for field trips. Sadly, they decided that the boys wouldn't like ballet, and they chose to take us to Mostly Mozart instead on the last Saturday in July. That was the night that Baryshnikov made his debut with ABT in Giselle.

[drb]

This is potentially great news, as the city is without ballet much of the year, with visitors generally limited to late summer. City Center is not a good ballet theater, so ABT's fall season might fill some State Theater time. Otherwise, consider all the touring going on by the Royal, Mariinsky, Bolshoi. My gosh, we might even get to see Obraztsova before she retires... Who knows, maybe we'll finally see the POB! And, of course major American companies such as PNB and SFB (now confined to a week dead in the middle of summer). Ailey, a sure ticket seller, would look great at the State.

[Natalia]

.....the city is without ballet much of the year, with visitors generally limited to late summer. .....

At least it's better in NYC than in Washington, DC. A LOT better! So my heart is not aching too-too much for you, drb.

I wish that the Washington National Opera would build a new venue, outside the Kennedy Center.

[whitelight]

I am very confused. I love Lincoln Center, but the number of theaters and organizations is apparently too much for me to comprehend sometimes.

I thought ABT does spend their summers at Lincoln Center (the Met). While I would also love to see them at Lincoln Center in the fall (and I will second the call for lower ticket prices), I don't understand what the summer conflict is. Could someone help me?

Edit: I guess I should have read the article first. To be clear, this isn't a Lincoln Center complex issue, but just a State Theater issue, right? I didn't know there was an opera company that performed there. Like I said, LC has a lot of organizations to keep track of.

[carbro]

It is the conflict of whether to spend Wednesday seeing a great cast and program at City Ballet or an equally appealing cast and program across the plaza. Most of each company's spring season overlap with the other's. It's much better now, though, that ABT opens a couple weeks later.

I would love to see annual Ailey and DTH seasons at NYST. (At this point, I'd be glad for DTH to have any season anywhere. ) I doubt Taylor could fill the house, since they usually have empty seats at City Center, without putting the second balcony on sale.

I would love even more seeing ABT at NYST, if not for the prices (although that would be dandy!), then for the sight lines.

I doubt the Met would demean itself (in its eyes) by hosting any but the very "top" European opera house companies -- i.e., POB, Kirov, Bolshoi, RB, and if we're very, very, very lucky maybe the Danes. But meanwhile, companies like Houston, MCB, NBoC, PNB, etc., could be very comfortable including NYST on their tour itineraries.

When I rule the world , ballet at Lincoln Center 52 weeks a year!

[justafan]

I too think this could be great news but somehow doubt this will mean ABT will move over next door. I can't see NYCB and Martins ever agreeing to equivalent rights to ABT. Doesn't it seem more likely that we will see regular dates from major foreign companies, as well as regional companies?

Whatever, does this move pave the way for changing the Theater's name to the George Balanchine Theater? Now that seems just right and proper now that it won't be sharing space with an opera company.

[richard53dog]

In the 70's, ABT performed at the New York State Theater, and their season extended well into the summer.

Yeah, I seem to remember ABT running till late July or August. My memory is hazy but I think they came into the NYST after NYCB finished their Spring Season.

All in all I think this is a wonderful development. NYCO will remail part of Lincoln Center and get an 1800 seat (hopefully with good accoustics) house.

Last few years have been a bit more difficult since the Met legthened their season slowly into early May then in 2005 shut down for 2 weeks in January and tacked it on in May. So years ago, the Met Opera was done by the third week of April and visitors could come in. Now it's a month later.

City Center may not have so many dance bookings!

Richard

[Amy Reusch]

My first thought was : how about a home for modern dance at Lincoln Center?

It is kind of odd that it's been neglected there... but I can't seen any one company in residence the way NYCB is... however, I could see 1 or 2 week annual runs...

Would audience be more likely to come to Lincoln Center than they were to go to City Center? City Center always just about financially breaks those companies trying to have a NY season, doesn't it? Fortunately, The Joyce came into existence. It would be nice if there were a subsidized house halfway between The Joyce and the State Theater.

And my second thought was said by Carbro first: How about all those regional companies that have really improved in quality from what they were in the 1960s... Let the Met host the mega international opera ballets, and the State host ballets from the other states!

[KayDenmark]

Let the Met host the mega international opera ballets, and the State host ballets from the other states!

Sounds like a great idea, Amy.

[mussel]

Don't forget about the extra slots from the new opera house. I doubt NYCO will have a Sept-May non-stop season like the Met Opera does. So NYCO will need to fill its own house while it's not performing. With 1,800 seats, the new opera house is perfect for many companies who may find NYST (almost 3,000 seats) too big.

[Helene]

Don't forget about the extra slots from the new opera house. I doubt NYCO will have a Sept-May non-stop season like the Met Opera does. So NYCO will need to fill its own house while it's not performing. With 1,800 seats, the new opera house is perfect for many companies who may find NYST (almost 3,000 seats) too big.

That's a great point, mussel.

[AmandaNYC]

Looks like the plans fell through.

Bloomberg article

and also

Playbill Arts article

-amanda

[bart]

An article from Bloomberg News said that the $400 million cost of the new opera house was another potential stumbling block.

Yes, that might cause a stumble or two.

Thanks, amandaNYC, for the update.

[Lynette H]

"With 1,800 seats, the new opera house is perfect for many companies who may find NYST (almost 3,000 seats) too big."

So what is the ideal size of a house for ballet ? Is the ideal size aesthetically not the same as the ideal size from the financial point of view ? And how does it differ in different countries and for companies ?

(There are only a few venues in the UK as large as 3000 seats - for example the Edinburgh Playhouse - and I find I don't like them much).