New York City Opera

[sydneyboy]

Can New Yorkers enlighten me on the current state of the New York City Opera? I know it was the “poor cousin” of the Met and I read many years ago it’s theatre had appalling acoustics and I believe Michael Bloomberg donated a large amount of money to rectify the acoustics and renovate the theatre. It later had major financial problems. I may have some of facts wrong but an update would be appreciated.

[Geriatric Otter]

After going bankrupt it reorganized with a very limited season in varied locations, not in the original Lincoln Center venue

[sydneyboy]

Do I have facts right about the Lincoln Center venue? What is it used for now?

[cany10011]

I believe NYC Opera used to perform at the David Koch Theater (designed by Philip Johnson), which is right next to the Met Opera and across David Geffen Hall.

 

David Koch Theater is the home of the NYC Ballet.

[Karl-G]

The three major buildings at Lincoln Center are (1) the Metropolitan Opera House, (2) Philharmonic Hall, which is now called David Geffen Hall, and across the plaza (3) what was originally called the New York State Theater and was home to New York City Opera (in the great days of Beverly Sills) and to the New York City Ballet, under Balanchine. The State Theater was later renamed the David Koch Theater and is still the home of the NYC Ballet.

 

The New York City Opera, as noted above, has had financial difficulties and moved out of the hall. They now have a very limited season in various locations. They are no longer a major player in the cultural life of NYC.

 

"Jun 21, 2019 - The financially challenged New York City Opera will have another reduced schedule for its 2019-20 season, which will be limited to just two staged productions plus several concerts that total nine or 10 performances. General director Michael Capasso’s original plan when the ..." They are being underwritten by a couple of hedge-fund directors, I believe.

[+ Charlie]

The NYCO was a respectable artistic competitor to the Met in the early years, but two major opera houses across the plaza from one another was just not economically viable, especially when one had had the social cachet and money of the Met, and the other was always struggling to pay the bills. The NYCO's greatest stars always defected eventually to the Met, Sills being the most notable. I saw some wonderful performances there in the 1960s and 70s, but eventually it became a place to go only if you couldn't get a ticket somewhere else.

[sydneyboy]

There is an analogy with Covent Garden and the English National Opera in London. The latter is suffering badly these days with managerial changes, constant changes of chief conductor, financial cutbacks, a totally inappropriate venue (the biggest theatre in London) and I would add mad productions.

[+ g56whiz]

but eventually it became a place to go only if you couldn't get a ticket somewhere else.

Not wholly so. NYO was also the place to go to experience new exciting singers (Sills, Justino Diaz, Sam Ramey, Norman Tregel,

Plácido Domingo) or non-standard rep (Pearlfishers, Mother Courage, Dialogue of The Carmelites).

[+ Charlie]

Not wholly so. NYO was also the place to go to experience new exciting singers (Sills, Justino Diaz, Sam Ramey, Norman Tregel,

Plácido Domingo) or non-standard rep (Pearlfishers, Mother Courage, Dialogue of The Carmelites).

Many of those you mentioned started their careers singing at the NYCO in the 60s and 70s (I saw all of them there), but all of them were lured to the Met once they made names for themselves. Sometimes they returned to the NYCO if it offered them a chance to do a role they couldn't get at the Met. I seem to remember Grace Bumbry going there when they agreed to stage Nabucco for her.

 

One of the most stunning non-standard operas they staged in the early years was Mefistofele with Norman Treigle. The plaza in front of both houses was renamed Treigle Plaza in his honor, long after his unexpected early death in 1975.