Andras Schiff: What the hell’s wrong with modern opera houses?

The pianist has published a blistering attack on the dominance of directors in German theatre and opera houses, published by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

Two  months in Berlin, he writes, is enough to make anyone give up going to the opera.

What is it with directors? he demands. ‘Why is it that most directors find it so hard to fade into the background and stand in the shadow of the work? Where did they acquire this addiction for self-expression, pomposity and disrespect? Why there no humilityor modesty? Why this panic fear of boredom?’

Read the full article here (auf Deutsch).

h/t: Basia Jaworski

UPDATE: And read further comments here from the countertenor Andreas Scholl and others.