Alexander Pereira, the former artistic director of the Salzburg Festival, the Zurich Opera House, and Teatro alla Scala in Milan, has been convicted of embezzlement in Florence. A court found Pereira guilty of charging private expenses to the opera house while he was artistic director of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. As a result, he will receive a suspended sentence of {…}
Police has confiscated over €126,000 from Alexander Pereira. Per Platea and Puls 24, the police confiscated the euros during an investigation into embezzlement of money during Pereira’s time as general director of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Per the reports, Pereira used the foundation’s credit card “for private non-contractual expenses,” including relocations, hotel stays, and plane or helicopters flights. Moreover, Pereira {…}
Civil servant, Onofrio Cutaia, has been appointed to manage Florence’s opera house after the sudden departure of Alexander Pereira as superintendent amid an ongoing fraud case. Authorities are investigating Pereira regarding the use of the company’s credit card. The former superintendent has denied any wrongdoing, claiming all transactions were legitimate. Cutaia is an executive of the Ministry of Culture, but it remains {…}
Photo credit: Michele Monasta There was a lovely old lady, clearly a regular at Maggio, sitting next to me, who, during the change of the scene, quietly asked, “is it an interval already?” “No, another half of an hour,” I replied. She only sighed in response. There was also a stylish man in his 40s, who stood up twice during {…}
As if the war tearing Europe apart was not enough, in the last weeks, the theatres of the continent seem to show us how unfriendly and deeply political our industry is. In several areas, quite irrespectively and for various reasons (worthy or not), the state authorities interfere in the affairs of theaters. Lithuanian National Opera workers are still protesting against {…}
(Credit: Koichi Miura/Metropolitan Opera) Following the announcement that James Levine would be returning to the podium during the 2020-21 season at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, superintendent Alexander Pereira spoke about his decision to contract the conductor. In an interview with Musical America, Periera said, “I always try to protect people that are demonized. Rightly or wrongly, that’s how I am. {…}
Alexander Pereira is expected to become the new Sovrintendente of Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. OperaWire reached out to the company’s press office, who confirmed the news with the following statement: “On September 6th, during the first meeting of the new Board of the Maggio, under the presidency of the Mayor of Florence Mr. Dario Nardella, Mr. Pereira will be announced {…}