Metropolitan Opera General Manager Position Gets Name Change
By Francisco SalazarThe Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager has a new title.
The company announced that Peter Gelb’s title will now be Maria Manetti Shrem General Manager.
Manetti Shrem is a successful business person who has played a major role in establishing Gucci as a truly global force and she is a philanthropist who works in the fields of fine arts, education, science, and music. She has been a Met supporter for years as a member of the International Council, and in 2019, she launched the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Great Singers Fund. This year she upped the fund gift to 1.5 million as she believes singers “must be supported not just financially but also emotionally, given their long stretches on the road, far from loved ones.”
As for the new title to Gelb’s job, Manetti Shrem met with the General Manager and was impressed with his managerial acumen. With no name yet given to the position, the Met noted that she decided to commit to an additional $5 million naming gift.
Manetti Shrem praised Gelb and said, “Peter has what is undoubtedly one of the most difficult jobs in all of the arts. I like people with bold points of view, and I’ve been impressed with his fearlessness as General Manager, especially during the pandemic. Organizations can disappear in the blink of an eye, but he was able to lead effectively at a time of great uncertainty.”
In response to the name, the General Manager said, “Maria’s passion for opera is infectious, and her generosity is extraordinary. I’m proud to see my name linked with hers.”
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