The South Florida Symphony tonight informed cast members of Porgy and Bess that they have, at last, been paid.
It says: ‘The delay we encountered in funding was finally resolved yesterday. Checks are being sent out today via mail. We sincerely apologize that there has been a two-week delay and for any inconvenience this may have caused.’
Many will imagine that the rush to payment was prompted by Morris Robinson’s outcry earlier today.
In future, we sincerely advise artists who are approached by the South Florida Symphony to see the money before they sing.
Berg’s Wozzeck – which the New York Times has already puffed as ‘harrowing’- plus Handel’s Agrippina, Philip Glass’s Akhnaten, Porgy and Bess and a Flying Dutchman is all that America’s biggest opera house can afford by way of new productions in its coming season.
Dutch National Opera, you read here yesterday, has 12 new productions.
It has yet to dawn on Peter Gelb that the paying public does not tend to return to old shows.
Later today the Met will announce that its next season will open with Gershwin’s opera in an English/Dutch National Opera co-production.
Eric Owens and Alfred Walker will share the role of Porgy. Angel Blue sings Bess. Latonia Moore and Golda Schultz are also signed up.
It took the Met half a century after its 1935 Boston premiere to produce America’s greatest opera. Even now, Porgy has yet to be considered part of its repertory.
Elsewhere, it makes giant waves.
Last year’s ENO show was the company’s biggest triumph in a decade, there’s an English countryhouse production scheduled for the summer and the opera is presently going down huge at Vienna’s Volksoper.
Watch.
Why did it take the Met so long?
Hans Stadlmair, who died on February 13, was artistic director of the Munich Chamber Orchestra from 1956 to 1995, conducting more than 6,000 concerts.
Among other feats, he recorded the 11 symphonies of Joachim Raff and made regular appearances at the Salzburg Festival.
FALSTAFF: Wenn Sie am Abend eine Vorstellung haben – wie läuft Ihr kulinarischer Tag ab? Anders als an »normalen« Tagen? Jonas Kaufmann: Ja, ich schlafe lange und frühstücke spät. Und dann wie immer Obst, Müsli und sehr viel Espresso. Entsprechend verschiebt sich das Mittagessen auf drei, halb vier Uhr, da gibt es meistens Pasta, Bolognese oder Amatriciana. Das ist für mich ideal, weil die Energie lange anhält. Nach der Vorstellung gibt’s meist ein leider sehr spätes Abendessen, da wird jeder Arzt die Hände über dem Kopf zusammenschlagen, aber das kann man in dem Beruf halt nicht ändern.
Falstaff: On a performance evening, how is your culinary day? Different from ‘normal’ days?
Jonas Kaufmann: Yes, I sleep late and have breakfast late. Then, as always, fruit, cereal and a lot of espresso. Lunch shifts to three, three-thirty. That is mostly pasta, Bolognese or Amatriciana. That is ideal for me because the energy is long lasting. After the show, there is usually, sadly, a very late supper – most doctors would be appalled – but that can’t be changed in this profession.
“Very seldom do I call out organizations, but I feel that I must say something. I was so incredibly proud of my DEAR friends who were in this company’s production of Porgy and Bess, that I flew down to Miami on a whim, rented a vehicle, secured a room, bought a ticket, and attended the Premier performance to both support and surprise my colleagues. I thought it was amazing to have this Masterpiece performed in one of my favorite cities and at a venue I was fortunate enough to “Open” years ago with a gala performance and subsequently a long run of Aidas with the Florida Grand Opera.
Backstory:
Prior to my initial venture onto “Catfish Row” I had heard nightmares of how companies often mistreat their cast members and disrespect this Opera. Porgy oft times is utilized to balance the books and sell tickets while the presenting organization simultaneously underpays and mistreats the very talented cast members who make this show a success. Needless to say, I was appalled to learn JUST NOW that over a MONTH after closing the show, my colleagues and friends who gave their ALL on stage have YET to be compensated for their hard work.
I truly feel that if we as artists sit silently by and allow these things to continuously happen without repercussion, companies will CONTINUE to use up, then toss aside the very people who make this show a fan favorite.
In my humble opinion, if the General Manager and VP, and Casting Director, and Conductor etc are getting their monthly salaries, the PERFORMERS should be getting paid as well.
South Florida Symphony, PAY my friends. Pay your artists. Company leadership, get your act together and do the right thing! You had an EXCELLENT Cast and they gave incredible performances. Don’t take performers for granted.
Stop mistreating BLACK PERFORMERS!!!!!!!
You’re in South Florida … there’s money in South Florida. With all the Limousines and Fur Coats I saw pulling up at the Ziff, the money is THERE … pay the Singers!!!”
@SouthFloridaSymphony
Opera Vlaandern in Gent, Belgium, has named its new concertmaster.
She is Kristie Su from California, and she’s one of the youngest anywhere in the job.
Kristie Su is a student of Vesna Stefanovic-Gruppman, who posted this nostalgic picture.
