Joseph Volpe, whose sixteen-year tenure as the general manager
of the Metropolitan Opera ends this season, may be remembered
as a man who stayed true to his title: he managed. Performances
went off with maximum efficiency, seven each week. World-class
singers showed up in mostly suitable roles, and if they misbehaved
they were shown the door, or at least treated brusquely. James
Levine was kept happy. Electronic subtitles appeared on the backs
of the seats. Modest efforts were made in the direction of fresh
production styles, novel repertory, and premieres - Tobias
Picker's "An American Tragedy" bowed this month - but not enough
to ruffle anyone's feather boa...
http://www.newyorker.com/critics/music/
Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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