The Metropolitan Opera Cancels All Fall Performances

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 6/1/20 at 9:49pm

From the NYT:

The Metropolitan Opera Cancels All Fall Performances

Many artists have not been paid since March at the company, which hopes to return on New Year’s Eve after its longest interruption in over a century.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-cancels-season-virus.html

[jpbran]

Posted: 6/1/20 at 10:33pm

Don’t think they’re saying it explicitly, but I have a feeling the average age of their patronage has something to do with it. Have never felt so young as when I’ve been to either the Met or Chicago’s Lyric. (B’way skews older too obviously, depending on the show of course, but not to the level of an opera crowd.)

[matt1982]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 8:10am

I had written off the new Aida awhile ago but I'm bummed to miss the Simon McBurney Magic Flute.  I'm sure they will stage it in the future.  I am looking forward to the Met premiere of Dead Man Walking, directed by Ivo Von Hove.  

Interesting, but not surprising, that the previously dark month of February, has been filled with fan favorites Carmen and La Boheme.

[east side story]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 9:05am

Announcements of this nature will soon be the norm at arts organizations. Some even canceling the season altogether.

[carnzee]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 9:08am

I was already sad about the cancellation of the Netrebko Tosca this spring, and now her Aida is gone too....I just HOPE that Nabucco happens next spring. She posted a practice video from her home on Instagram and she sounded fab.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 9:24am

The Guthrie announcement was prophetic. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 4:30pm

Something made me hold off from using the credit from last season's cancelled performances. I guess there's still Nabucco, Il Pirata, Die Frau ohne Schatten, and La Traviata. I haven't looked into it that closely yet. Did they add performances for other productions to cover the dates that would have been covered by the now-cancelled shows?

[east side story]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 7:58pm

Updated On: 6/2/20 at 07:58 PM

[whatever2]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 8:35pm

> Don’t think they’re saying it explicitly, but I have a feeling the average age of their patronage has something to do with it. Have never felt so young as when I’ve been to either the Met or Chicago’s Lyric. (B’way skews older too obviously, depending on the show of course, but not to the level of an opera crowd.)

J'accuse.

First, I've been to PLENTY of operas at the Lyric; the average age is no less, er, desiccated than at the Met.

But to the main point, i think you're very close to the Met's challenge, but not quite there. When the Met stages something provocative and engaging like, say, Akhnaten, the house is full, and from my seats way up in the balcony the tops of the heads are not particularly grey. On the other hand, when they mount (remount, really) an ABC (Aida, Boehme, Carmen), the average age approaches triple digits. Unfortunately, those grey heads represent the donor base without which the organization instantly perishes. So the challenge to Met General Manager Peter Gelb is: do you appeal to the donor base that represents the present (which is actually the past), or to the newcomers who want to be challenged (which is actually the future, but future donations don't pay todays bills). The Met hasn't figured this out yet -- quite likely because it's just. not. possible.

(Also, opera is gobsmackingly expensive to produce, so whatever we think we know about performance finance from theater is of limited utility here.)

(Also, also, the Metropolitan Opera House is a 3800 seat BARN, which presents its own unique challenge.)

I think the conclusions to be drawn from your (accurate) observation are more complex than "opera is for old people." GOOD, ENGAGING opera is for theater-lovers of any age.

[BJR]

Posted: 6/2/20 at 9:36pm

Shame. Such an exciting season, too.