Christopher Webber <[log in to unmask]> takes Janos Gereben to
task for forwarding something amusing about the ways of German Regieoper,
and asks:

>Why single the poor Germans out for ridicule?

The ridicule came from a singer who was commenting on his German
experience.  Then, too, Germany has by far the largest network of
operating opera houses of any European nation.  Having attended a good
many performances at some of these over a longish span of time I can
only say that's it's rare for an effort at aggiorniamento to succeed.
Most of the attempts are inchoate, forced, even embarrassing.  The few
that do succeed are therefore such a blessed relief that they halate
redemption on all the junk.  Audiences keep coming because they're
accustomed to attending opera and will take it in any form if they must.
Janos's source was quite clearly hyping the situation in order to make
fun of it, and should be read that way, and not in a mood of Teutonic
furor.

Denis Fodor