9/11 Memorialized by New Home for New York City Opera?
As the Lincoln Center renovation battle continues, things are looking up for NYCO. While NYCO has not announced anything official about the site-search for the new theater, World Trade Center officials have publicly announced their intention to incorporate a major cultural institution within the plans of the new WTC building, and NYCO is at the top of their list. The new theater would either be the Sept. 11 memorial or would include a museum component somewhere on the site. Part of the rebuilding plans involve connecting all of the subway and PATH train lines in a major transportation hub. Many transportation lines already come together there, but they’ve never connected. This would mean easier access to opera performances for many, particularly those living in the southern suburbs and New Jersey. If you would like to express your support, or lack thereof, for this plan, write, call or fax the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, John Whitehead, chairman, (212) 225-3500, Fax (212) 225-3507, 1 Liberty Plaza, 42nd floor, NYC 10006. You’ll want to keep in mind, however, that the City of New York has asked the cultural institutions to reduce building-plan budgets by 25 percent for the next four years, which will undoubtedly affect Lincoln Center’s plans.
Recitals with Supertitles
Thinking of using supertitles during your recital? In the ninth annual Marilyn Horne Foundation recital that took place in January, Horne experimented with using supertitles during performances of German art songs. However, the consensus was that the supertitles tended to detract from the overall musical experience and the singers were not able to connect with the audience as well as before because audience members were busy watching the supertitles. The final verdict was that since art songs are based upon poetic text as opposed to the dialogue and theatrics of opera scenes, the audience connection with the singer should not be disturbed through the use of supertitles.
Domingo Sets Career Records
Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times reported in January that Placido Domingo has once again set another record. In addition to his records of 3,045 performances, 118 complete opera roles and 19 opening nights at the Met, Domingo has now released a 5-hour, four-CD set of Verdi’s arias for tenor. The 53-item recording surpasses the 1974 collection of Carlo Bergonzi, which included 31 arias.
Ben Heppner Cancels Recital Tour
Ben Heppner’s Toronto recital in January came to an abrupt halt in the middle of one of his arias when he stepped to the front of the stage and said: “I think for all of us I need to stop.” The general consensus is that due to extreme overuse from singing so many Wagner roles, the Canadian tenor’s voice struggled with multiple cracks and strained passages through three-quarters of the programmed repertoire. Fortunately, the audience responded with applause and understanding. The rest of the tour was canceled and Mr. Heppner will be taking time off to allow his voice to recover for future singing engagements.
Since When Does Opera Involve Dead Chickens?
Bonn’s opera house is under condemnation from Mayor Dieckmann for a rather unorthodox rendition of The Barber of Seville, one that involved the strangling live chickens on stage. Criminal charges may be brought against Theater der Bundesstadt for the chickens’ deaths and that could result in a heavy fine. The company is considering switching to fake chickens for future performances.
Pavarotti’s Shanghai Appearance
On Dec. 26, Pavarotti made his first appearance in Shanghai, China. The audience of 1,800 Chinese paid from $120 to $720 per ticket, with the latter price coming close to the average yearly income of a Shanghai citizen. Although the concert was billed as a charity affair, project manager for the event, Zhou Chengyu, said they had just about broken even. Chinese theater professionals speculated that Mr. Pavarotti’s one-night appearance fee was probably $900,000 to $1,000,000. Chengyu maintained that the concert was not about raising money, but was about making an impression. Tibor Rudas, Pavarotti’s close friend and creator of the Three Tenors franchise, said, “A love of performing was what inspired Mr. Pavarotti … It’s no longer about the money.”
Discounts on Performing Arts Tickets
Ticketwatch provides free weekly e-mail notifications, each of which offers a discounted ticket to a theater or performing arts production by providing a promotion code to be used when ordering tickets over the phone or by e-mail. The service by The New York Times already has 50,000 subscribers. To join the service, go to www.nytimes.com/email.
Tragic Changes in NEA
Michael Hammond, the recently appointment chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, has died after only a week of occupying that position. He was 69. Mr. Hammond reportedly was complaining of feeling ill for several days and apparently died of natural causes in Washington, D.C. Senior Deputy Chairwoman Eileen Mason will serve as acting chairman until President Bush appoints a replacement for Mr. Hammond. In the meantime, President Bush has announced a $2 million increase in the NEA’s funding, totaling $117 million.
Classical Music Keeps the Youth Away
Several rail stations in London have begun piping classical music through the public-address system, finding that it deters loiterers and would-be vandals from congregating on station platforms. This method of “crime-control” is spreading around Germany, too, and has been used in several U.S. cities, including New York’s Port Authority.
