(Credit: Ken Howard / Metropolitan Opera) It was supposed to be the hottest ticket in town. It was the first time Anna Netrebko and Plácido Domingo would grace the Metropolitan Opera together in a production. But we all know how that turned out. For weeks, Met audiences had no clue what to expect. The company said nothing as it awaited {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s general manager Peter Gelb has stated that Plácido Domingo will continue to perform with the organization as previously scheduled. Per a report from NPR, the manager spoke to members of the chorus and orchestra about allegations against Domingo and noted that he decided to keep Domingo’s performance on the schedule because he did not feel that the {…}
The Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager Peter Gelb will be among those receiving honorary doctorates of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music during its commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10, 2019. Gelb will also give a Commencement address at the Ceremony, which is part of the institution’s 100th anniversary celebration. Gelb will be honored alongside conductor Jane Glover, composer {…}
On Friday, Oct. 26, the Metropolitan Opera Guild presented its Annual Luncheon to honor the career of superstar soprano Anna Netrebko. Titled “Amazing Anna” and taking place at Cipriani 42nd Street (and without too many flowers as per the honoree’s request), the event was befitting of the famed diva, proving entertaining and breezing by in a way that these events {…}
Susan Froemke’s “The Opera House” is set to appear on PBS’s “Great Performances at the Met” on May 25, 2018. The documentary tells the story of the creation of the Metropolitan Opera’s house in Lincoln Center and features a number of major figures of the mid-1960s. One of the major figures included in the documentary is soprano Leontyne Price, who {…}
On May 1, audiences gathered at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall for the 57th Young Concert Artists Concert. The evening was in celebration not only of the tireless practice and work put in by the performers, but for Metropolitan Opera’s General Manager, Peter Gelb. After the opening remarks, Gelb was presented with his award before delivering his acceptance speech, which {…}
Editorial Note: Per a recent report from the New York Times, Copley’s remarks were aimed at the chorister and were largely inappropriate. Of course, the dispute rages and there seems to be much debate about who or what was said. Some of our own investigation has yielded similar contradiction. As such, we do note that until the clarity of the {…}
Met Assistant General Manager Robert Rattray has passed away at the age of 67. Per sources, he suffered a stroke on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. He was appointed to the position in 2014, replacing Sarah Billinghurst. Prior to that appointment, he had already accumulated over 40 years of experience in the world of classical music management. He had been Joint {…}
For decades Renée Fleming has been a shining star on the world’s great opera stages, none more so than the Metropolitan Opera. From her victory at the National Council Auditions in 1988 to her debut three years later to her final performance at the tail end of the 2016-17 season, Fleming was the Met’s diva. While her future as an opera star remains a {…}
We have gone through emotional anecdotes. We sifted through some of the essential nights in the new house’s history. Now we turn to the people that have made it great. In compiling a list of the 50 most influential people in the history of the new house, we realized rather early on that we would be leaving many people out {…}
During this weekend’s broadcast of “I Puritani,” Metropolitan Opera General Manager Peter Gelb was given the floor to talk about the company’s upcoming 2017-18 season, which was announced this past Wednesday. But instead of launching into his offerings, Gelb moved in a different direction, turning his attention toward the social-political challenges facing arts institutions. “I think it’s really important that {…}
