Contrary to what you may find in this embarrassing and half-baked attempt to suck money from the general public, when it comes to the subject of who, exactly, is New York City Opera, there is but one emphatic answer: I am.
Now we’re playing hardball.
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WORK!
w o r k.
W E R K!
W to the O to the R to the K. LADIES! !
City Opera is yours.
Now put this sassy bitch on your advisory board!
Every advisory board needs a sassy fag in tight pants with attitude, and GINGER SNAPP is IN THE KNOW!
peace to my motha!
You’ve got my vote. That is a cute, funny video and about ten times more entertaining than what most opera marketing departments come up with. “YOU are New York City Opera” is my favorite new phrase.
You got my vote a long time ago, but the moment you walked away from the camera with your boxers you ensured you are going to get pretty much anything you want from me.
That video is fantastic! I do hope NYCO will pick it up and use it.
Great work man! And you look puppylicious. LOL!
Il Guarany wrote:
Dear Counter Critic,
I had no idea I was on your mailing list (KEEP ME ON IT!), so you can imagine how pleasantly surprised – and inspired! – I was by your video. I’ve posted it to my Facebook profile and forwarded it to both friends and enemies, whether they love opera or not (maybe now they will).
The first time I attended a performance at the NYCO was to see Die tote Stadt back in 2001. I had recently “discovered” the work, and that year the choice to see it live was either in NYC or Buenos Aires (while it was still more expensive than Tokyo). New York won. Ms. Flanigan and a fabulous John Horton Murray lent their clarion pipes to the house’s amplification system, and a fantastic time was had by all.
I’ve been back a few times since, always for slightly unorthodox pieces I really wanted to see live (The Rape of Lucretia, Les pêcheurs de perles, etc.). I think that’s where NYCO could carve itself a clever niche – by producing undeservedly neglected works that the Met is too blind or too stupid to take seriously. When was the last time the Met did Die tote Stadt – 1923? That was just 4 years after the premiere of Die Frau ohne Schatten, and 10 months before Callas was born. All Gotham queens who died this year at age 85 or younger never got to see it at the Met. What gives?
I liked the idea of a curated season as proposed by Mortier – that’s something you should think about if (or rather: when!) NYCO invites you to become their capo. Quirky Strauss operas like Friedenstag, maybe a Gomes revival, Barber of course – the possibilities are endless for sensational seasons.
It would be a bit of a challenge to cast these works at a moment’s notice, of course, but as you point out NYC is full of great unemployed singers. Surely an engagement at the NYCO would be enough of a motivation for them to learn these roles. Then, in a few years, when NYCO’s regained cutting-edginess puts all these works back in the standard repertoire, these kids will have long illustrious careers before them. It’s so obvious it hurts. I tend to agree with you re a thumbs-down for Bel Canto, but perhaps it will be a necessary evil to sell subscriptions in the beginning. However, with a carefully mapped-out 10-year plan, you can wean all of Manhattan off Bel Canto. I have faith in you.
Your blog kicks ass and you’ll see me around.
Merry Christmas and all those overused (but heartfelt) Yuletide clichés to you. You rock, new best friend.
x
P.S. And while you’re at it: no more amplification please. Spin it as a cost-cutting measure. Let’s get Villar out of jail if he’ll foot the bill for redoing the theatre’s acoustics. (Villar titles would be nice too.)
First, thanks to all who have jumped in to support this crazy/beautiful idea. It’s very encouraging!
Il G-
Great ideas. Although I have amended the Bel Canto clause to include a few strictly supervised productions.
In terms of amplification, my feelings are this. As long as NYCO resides in the theater formerly known as “The State,” subtle amplification is necessary. The acoustics are just impossible. Now, if we move NYCO to BAM or some other theater with better acoustics, then by all means, we’ll oust the amps.
I like the ideas of both revamping neglected works, and having some specially curated series (the Struass series sounds uber promising, especially if we can really etch his transformation as a composer. This would, naturally, require all new productions! What, maybe six Strauss operas in 2010-2011? I think we can swing it.
Thanks for all of your support and well-wishes. My team is fiercely planning the next steps of this campaign. I hope you stay tuned, and stay engaged, and call us out on any bull shit. In other words: Keep us honest.
Yes we can!
xoxoC.C.
GREAT video!
you are nyc opera and definitely have my vote.