Darkness in Brussels: More cuts at the Monnaie
mainPeter de Caluwé, head of the Brussels opera house, has announced 15 jobs losses and an end to the dance programme – this, at the company that was Maurice Béjart’s base. The opera programme will also be shortened.
De Caluwé says he has no choice. The government is clawing back 15 percent of its subsidy.
Béjart : that really is history. What happens now is that we will miss Rosas/Anne Theresa de Keersmaeker, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Sasha Waltz….
La Monnaie / De Munt gave ample possibilities to these artists. Brussels will be the poorer for it.
Not only have the dance programs been cancelled, but also Kurt Weil’s Three Penny Opera because it had been announced as Four Penny Opera.
In these times opera seems to only be able to get through this period of government withdrawel by considerably slimming production costs. But if the music remains good, that should be possible since audiences come for the artistic experience, which does not necessarily need oppulence on the stage or million dollar stars who support violent hooligans.
And no more Barock Opera! René Jacobs Monteverdi cycle has been cancelled completely.