January 29, 2024

A visitor from the U.S. visited an airport hotel restaurant in Toronto last week and received a waiver with their cheeseburger order. The patron reportedly lost their appetite. It’s a dangerous world out there, folks.

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In this week’s email:

The big idea: Met Opera pivots strategy and taps emergency endowment
Conductor moves: Andris Nelsons’ contract with BSO renewed indefinitely
Opera: Opera Added to UNESCO World Heritage
Laugh of the week
Around the web: Pawprints, a deep dive on trans clinics, and a really difficult math crossword, plus more curious internet finds.

CLASSICAL CHARTZ

Weekly selections are based on sales numbers and albums we simply love and think you NEED to hear!

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THE BIG IDEA

Metropolitan Opera Pivots Strategy, Taps Emergency Endowment

As the Metropolitan Opera navigates one of its most challenging periods in over a century, the company's recent financial decisions signify ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Met has announced they have had to extract $40 million from its endowment fund, marking the second such withdrawal this fiscal year. From $309 million in July, the endowment now stands at $255 million.

In response to current market dynamics, General Manager Peter Gelb has ushered in a series of strategic shifts aiming to keep the Met resonant with contemporary audiences while managing its fiscal responsibilities.

Pivots

Performance Pruning: A 10% reduction in performances and a strategic shift to feature 17 contemporary operas across five seasons.
Repertoire Reshuffle: While contemporary operas decrease from six to four next season, popular classics are set for weekend performances to maximize revenue.

Box Office Barometer

"X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X" sold 78% of tickets over eight shows.
"La Bohème" managed 74% over 18 performances, asserting its crowd-pulling power.
"Dead Man Walking" and "Un Ballo in Maschera" sold 62% and 56% respectively.
"The Magic Flute" hit a high note with 87% ticket sales over 13 performances.

Positive Signals

Attendance: A significant rise from 63% to 73% attendance this season.
Coaxing the kids: The average age of single-ticket buyers dropped from 50 to 44 years.
HD Broadcasts: Events are drawing larger, younger crowds but are just breaking even due to the ongoing decline of movie theatre attendance across North America.
Endowment: Despite recent withdrawals, the Met anticipates substantial gifts in the near future, including a possible "transformative" donation.

As we peer into the Met's financial opera glasses, the question remains: Will these strategic modulations harmonize the balance between artistic integrity and economic viability?

The Met's evolution in programming and audience engagement is a narrative that continues to unfold, resonating with the broader dialogue about the sustainability of classical arts in the modern era. — MV

TOUR DE HEADLINES

View of the London Coliseum stage (Photo via English National Opera)

English National Opera Strike Postponed Following Conversations with Unions — The English National Opera's proposed strike has been postponed following successful negotiations with the unions Equity and Musicians' Union. This decision allows the opening night of "The Handmaid's Tale" on February 1 to proceed as planned, with ongoing discussions aimed at reaching a final agreement. | OperaWire

‘A Disastrous Situation’: Petition to Save Northern Ballet Sinfonia From Being Replaced by Recordings — The Northern Ballet Sinfonia, the orchestra of Northern Ballet in Leeds, faces replacement by recordings due to rising costs and loss of funding. A petition and campaign, backed by the Musicians' Union, have been initiated to save the orchestra and preserve live music for ballet performances, with the petition reaching close to its 15,000-signature target. | The Strad

Decca Classics Signs Mezzo-Soprano Aigul Akhmetshina — Auful Akhmetshina, known for her roles in major opera houses and as the youngest artist to play Carmen at the Royal Opera House, will release her debut album featuring her signature role and a folk song from her native Bashkortostan. | Gramophone

This Retiree Turned His Computer Industry Career and Love for Classical Music Into a Steady Gig — Howard Mednick, a retired computer industry consultant, has become a "classical music DJ" post-retirement, creating music programs for various venues. | Globe & Mail

Two Years After Reopening From the Pandemic, Is Toronto’s Theatre Sector on the Brink of a Crisis? — Two years post-pandemic, Toronto's theatre sector is on the verge of a crisis due to declining audiences, reduced private support, and insufficient public funding. | Toronto Star

Playing a Musical Instrument or Singing Is Linked to Better Memory in Older Age — Research from Exeter University indicates that playing musical instruments, particularly the piano, or singing in a choir, is linked to better memory and cognitive skills in older adults. | The Guardian

CONDUCTOR MOVES

BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons conducts Holst's The Planets (Photo: Aram Boghosian)

Andris Nelsons’ Contract With BSO Renewed Indefinitely

Driving the news: On January 25, the BSO announced that music director Andris Nelsons’ contract will be renewed. Rather than giving his new contract an expiration date, the new agreement will be evergreen. His new contract also includes a new role as Head of Conducting at the Tanglewood Institute, the BSO’s summer home.

Catch up: Andris Nelsons, 45, has led the BSO since the 2014/15 season. He also heads the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig. Since his appointment to lead both orchestras, he has led numerous collaborations between the two institutions. These have included joint concerts, Deutsche Grammophon releases, and international tours.

Yes, but…: It’s not only Nelsons who was given a new role in Boston last week. The BSO also announced that the Atlanta-born composer Carlos Simon will be their inaugural Deborah and Philip Edmundson Composer Chair. The BSO hopes that Nelsons and Simon will work together to create new concerts and programming to better reflect and serve the Boston and Berkshires communities. Let’s see what kind of stew these two cook up in Beantown! — SS

OPERA

Hilary Hahn (Photo: Chris Lee/Deutsche Grammophon)

Opera Added to UNESCO World Heritage

What’s up: In 2023, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added “The practice of opera singing in Italy” to its representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The addition of opera singing came to fruition due to the advocacy of a contingent of opera professionals and scholars.

Driving the news: This week, American soprano and queen of Italian bel canto Lisette Oropesa was interviewed by the New York Times about UNESCO’s addition of opera singing to its list of intangible heritages. Oropesa noted the absence of funding for opera in the United States, which lacks the state support given in many European countries. She posits that opera provides a safe space to process difficult emotions that may otherwise go unattended, leading to negative societal repercussions. Oropesa also noted that while opera currently has a reputation for being elitist, it began as a people’s art form.

Why it matters: In July 2023, the United States rejoined UNESCO to become the 194th member state of its organization. This reinstatement followed its withdrawal during the Trump administration. As Donald Trump and his philistine rhetoric rises in American polls again, the fragility of these cultural heritages is apparent once more. — SS

QUIZ

Nothing says Monday like a mini-crossword.

AROUND THE WEB

📅 On this day: Composer Frederick Delius (1862 - 1934) is born.

🎞️ Neat: Take a look at the amazing stop-motion animation.

📖 Interesting: The forgotten history of the world's first trans clinic.

🧮 Game: Someone made an infinite math crossword that gets absurdly hard

🐾 Awww: A little paw print.

LAUGH OF THE WEEK

Cartoon via Kanin

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