On Tuesday (4/15) at his opera-themed website Parterre Box, James Jorden (writing under the pseudonym Dawn Fatale) contributes the third in an ongoing series of lengthy analyses of the Metropolitan Opera’s business and artistic challenges. The first column, “The Met: What’s Really Wrong?” was published in March, shortly after the Met announced that it would seek cuts in compensation for its union workers for the first time in company history. Jorden’s April 15 column, “The Met: What Is To Be Done?” suggests multiple changes at the company, including abandoning the practice of planning opera seasons five to six years in advance, as a way to sign more top-name singers; better publicity of performances with promising younger singers; more podcasts, intermission interviews, and audio clips at the Met website; free concerts in Central Park in September; product placement in more TV shows filmed in New York City; Friday-night concerts where all tickets go for $25; more dining options, including opera-themed food trucks; and extending the lobby to prevent audience bottlenecks at curtain time. News about the Met’s contract talks was previously covered at the Hub here. In addition to Parterre Box, Jorden writes about opera for The New York Post and other media outlets.
Posted April 16, 2014
