Peter Gelb: I’m in charge of 3,200 people, I can’t leave the building

A further extract from the Met chief’s interview with Mark McLaren of ZealNYC:

Peter Gelb: I don’t travel nearly as much as I used to in my previous jobs. I can’t really. I have to be here on the scene, since I wear multiple hats. I have overall artistic and business responsibility, this is a very big company, its a living breathing organism. We’re our own little village.  We have over 3,200 full-time and part-time employees, and something is always happening here.

So my traveling during the season is always limited to a quick 24-hour trip to Europe or to London to check something out. For example, in a couple of weeks, I’m flying to Baden-Baden just for literally a 24-hour trip to be at the premier of our co-production of the new Tristan that will open our season this year in September, but that has its out-of-town premier in Baden-Baden.  So I make trips like that, but I fly back the next day. So I’m missing from The Met for literally, 24 or 36 hours.

Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera