Is the other truce also about to end?
mainLast Friday night, Peter Gelb announced a suspension of his lockout threat to give federal mediators a chance to save the Met. Over the weekend he agreed to open the books to an independent auditor. For the past week, a tense silence has prevailed at the Met. Talks have continued and discipline has been maintained by the three main unions so that there have been no substantive leaks.
But what now?
The week is coming to an end.
Will a deal be reached by the mediators that enables both sides to save face?
Or is it back into the bunkers?
Could go either way.
Wishing for a reasonable compromise. Fingers crossed.
While wishing the best possible outcome for all parties involved, silence remains about the spider in the midst of the web called Metropolitan Opera: Jimmy Levine. No doubt his artistic achievements are huge. But, with all respect, the maestro has overstayed his time (and the entire board in his pocket for too long). As long as Levine remains music director, not very much will change at the Met.
Whatever your or my opinion re Levine’s length of stay, this dispute between the Met’s unions and Gelb is far outside of Levine’s purview.
But Mr. Levine could have been a mediator between Mr. Gelb and the orchestra which – so he says – he loves so much. As a Music Director being 40 years at the Met he could have a very important voice telling Mr. Gelb “change attitude” and telling his musicians “face reality”. But it is not a secret that as soon as problems (no matter what kind of problems) come up he becomes invisible.
I think this is what’s known as a “rabbit hole” in comment threads.