NYC Opera to leave Lincoln Center

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:08pm

I've sometimes wondered at Lincoln Center having two opera companies under roof. MET Opera will stay.

Where will NYC Opera go?

Who'll perform at David H. Koch (former NY State) Theater now?
NY1 story Updated On: 5/21/11 at 05:08 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:13pm

That's very sad news.

And did the Lincoln Center remodeling really cost a billion dollars?

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:21pm

NY Sun 2008 estimate of 1.4 billion for the reno.
NY SUN 2008 article Updated On: 5/21/11 at 05:21 PM

[spike3]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:34pm

I believe that NYC Opera performed at City Center before Lincoln Center was built.Perhaps they can return. Or if one of the larger Broadway houses is empty for a bit, they can do a short season there. From what I understand, due to lack of interest in the operas offered, ticket sales were way down.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 5:36pm

They should do a Ring Cycle (Wagner). Those always sell out at the MET.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 6:14pm

And Ring Cycles are so cheap and easy too!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 6:37pm

spike3, you're correct: both the NYC Opera and NYC Ballet performed at City Center before Lincoln Center was constructed.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 7:25pm

I don't know many cheap or easy operas. And there's the rub.

That Wall Street journal weighs in on the matter. Some finger-pointing going on.
WSJ article Updated On: 5/21/11 at 07:25 PM

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 8:48pm

This is sad news. I'm very sorry about the continued marginalization of what was once such a vital part of the NY opera scene. The Sills/Rudel years were so vibrant and exciting. I don't know how or why things went so sour for this company. It's an unfortunate situation.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/21/11 at 9:16pm

NY Times quoting the President of AGMA, Alan Gordon, dissing the General Manager of City Opera, George Steel (who is fairly new, by the way), saying "Steel's approach is out-and-out stupid and it's designed to assure that City Opera goes out of business." Same finger-pointing as in the WSJ article.

The WSJ gives a $31 million budget for fiscal year 2010, while the Times gives a (preliminary) $22 million for "this year's" budget which apparently will be chopped significantly. The Times says "this season's" deficit was $5 million. I can't tell whether NYC Opera's "season" falls within its "fiscal year" (which need not be a calendar year) from the reporting in these articles to know exactly where that $5 million loss gets attributed.

NYC Opera Chairman Charles Wall, who became chairman in January, has initiated an internal financial review. Certainly a good idea since the endowment, $55 million at the end of "fiscal year" 2008, is said to have been raided and otherwise shrunken to a present $9 million. That'd be an 84% drop in the endowment fund in about three years!

From the NY Times:

"Now, just five months before the season, potential ticket buyers do not know what music they will hear, who will be singing, what the tickets will cost or where to go to take their seats. The prospect is almost mind-boggling in a world where schedules are fixed years ahead."

If the huge drop in the endowment fund is largely attributable to structural improvements in Koch Theater, NYC Opera and Lincoln Center should work out a deal for NYC Opera to stay for the season for the sake of equity and the arts. The Times does mention NYC Opera is looking at the new World Trade Center's venue which could make sense in the long run, but probably not immediately.
NY Times article Updated On: 5/21/11 at 09:16 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 3:06pm

I used to attend City Opera productions all the time. I enjoyed their work very much. Not only did they do the staples like BOHEME and RAVIATA, but they'd do a few lesser-produced works like THE PEARL FISHERS and LAKME--good operas that the Met doesn't seem to be interested in. In fact, City Opera's production of LA RONDINE was one of the finest productions I've ever seen of this forgotten gem.

Then there was a changeover in management and we started getting more experimental works and....well,...they just weren't very good. This year I was really interested in seeing SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON but most, if not all, of the performances were during Holy Week. Sorry, but I'm much too involved with church and family activities that week to be going to the opera that week.

My 6 year old granddaughter has been showing a great interest in attending an opera. City Opera would be a great pplace to start. I hope it's still around for us to enjoy.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 6:32pm

Donations are down drastically. Soak the rich has consequences as they will just stop giving to institutions like this .It did not help that their productions in recent years were the pits. Lady MacBeth in an evening gown & combat boots . Another gem was Marco Polo with sound effects like the 3 Stooges & someone breaking wind.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 6:46pm

Roxy, you're back from Europe! You didn't have a heart attack and die while climbing up to Mont Sainte-Michel? Or did you?

[eponine88]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 7:05pm

Dollypop- I had the same problem! I was extremely interested in SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON but Holy Week was just too booked up with family/church events. I wish it had more performances...

In general though, I'm not sure the move really makes things better. I know a lot of people for whom the convenience of NYCO being in Lincoln Center is a huge draw, especially since you can generally get cheaper tickets than for the MET. Depending on where NYCO winds up, people may or may not be inclined to follow.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 7:12pm

Do you remember when City Opera operated the "Cafe Candide" on the outdoor tier of the State Theater (or whatever it's called now)? The food was good and it as a pleasure to finish your meal and then head indoors for the performance.

[whatever2]

Posted: 5/23/11 at 11:28am

Overall, the news out of City Opera last week was pretty grim, but the departure from Lincoln Center imho actually is a bright spot -- should have happened years ago. The hall was not built for voice, and is far too large for the company. It's unfortunate that they have made this decision: (a) in the middle of a financial crisis; and, (b) on such short notice, but long-term it will serve the company well.

Also, fwiw, Seance ran a full week after Easter, with nary a sold out night -- tickets were even on tdf.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/24/11 at 8:17pm

Got Op'ra trouble,
Right here in New York City


NY Times - City Opera Departure Brings Questions

[pwb]

Posted: 5/25/11 at 1:41pm

Here in Washington - a similar story, but with a happier ending (so far).

For a few years the Kenendy Center Opera house was being remodeled, so the Washingtion National Opera (WNO) was shoe-horned into Constitution Hall as a temporary venue. This was during fat times in the mid 2000's, so they successfully transferred back to the Center after the remodel (all under Placido Domingo's direction), but then faced near financial ruin this season. The Kennedy Center has agreed to take over Washington National Opera (next season) to shore up finances, etc. Domingo leaves after this season for L.A. (In fact he's finishing out this season over the next few weeks singing in 'Iphigénie en Tauride'. It's sold out, so that's good for the bottom line.) There's much uncertainty for WNO's future after Domingo.

Also, in nearby Baltimore, their Opera company at the Lyric went under mid-season in the Winter/Spring of 2010 without a trace. I understand everything has been sold off. But there's hope in smaller/leaner/nimble new companies there like 'The Figaro Project' http://thefigaroproject.com/Site/Home.html and others.

There's much uncertainty in DC-Baltimore area Opera. It will take beaucoup creativity to keep Opera companies alive in these times.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/29/11 at 9:10am

AGMA has now filed a complaint with the NLRB alleging "unfair labor practices and sought a court order blocking its [NYC Opera's] proposed move out of Lincoln Center."

Oddly,

"The union also accused the company of violating the contract by failing to tell its members the number of guaranteed weeks they would have next season."

It seems a strange clause to have in a contract because any business or organization can go under at any time.

Reorganizations in Bankruptcy [the NYC Opera is not in Bankruptcy as of yet] have voided labor contracts before; this is a very aggressive stance for the Union. Seems a last ditch effort to try to staunch the loss of weeks of work for their members in the next year. I can't see a court becoming involved in management decisions regarding theatre venue but time will tell...
NY Times - New York City Opera Union Files Labor Complaint