New York Wagnerites make gift to Met musicians
mainThe Wagner Society of New York has given $5,000 to the Met Orchestra Musicians Fund, showing its support for more than 150 musicians who have not been paid, on Peter Gelb’s orders, since April 2020.
Gelb’s cruel and unnatural policy looks more outrageous with each passing day.
drawing (c) Emmanuelle Ayrton
The world is watching you Peter, and the world is judging you, Yannick.
Well, the world of opera buffs and MET employees, anyway.
The City of New York will care when the Met’s existence becomes ever more fragile – and the target of a general public outcry. It’s not the city’s largest generator of jobs nor revenue (or artistic quality), but the presence of a major opera company is a mark of prestige for important international cities. Yes, Mr. Gelb, we are all watching you.
Over 150 musicians, $5000 donation, about $30 each.
It’s called “giving what you can.”
It would be, except that from what I understand, only a select few in the group are actually receiving funds. Apparently, they need to prove their poverty to receive funds, rather than distributing it equally.
The IRS does not permit
The giving oof equal funds, which is why they have an independent board review applications- of which nearly 80% received grants-
According to their website, and knowledge of legal matters.
No, that’s not how it works. Contributions go into the Fund, and those members who need grants apply for them.
How many million did you donate?
To nitpick, Norman:
Wagnerite is a mineral. We Ring Cycle lovers are Wagnerians.
Interesting! Didn’t know there was a mineral.
I’ve always heard “Wagnerite” to mean “devotee of Wagner,” and “Wagnerian” to mean someone who performs his music (or, as an adjective, to describe a voice suitable for it). As in, most Wagnerites agree that Hildegard Behrens did not have a truly Wagnerian voice but Birgit Nilsson was a true Wagnerian.
Did you ever hear of G.B. Shaw’s “The Perfect Wagnerite”?
Yes, I know it but I wonder if Shaw had written about Beethoven or Brahms, what would he have entitled it?
The Met is flat BROKE!!!
They clearly can’t afford to pay anybody or take on more debt.
As I understand it, they are still finding the money to pay much of the administration. And the Met’s peer orchestras , on the whole (such as mine), have found a way to pay a significant portion of their musicians’ salaries through the pandemic. There is no way to look at this and not be appalled.
Logic has no place on Slipped Disc. How presumptuous of you to make an appearance!