Artists give generously to desperate Met chief
OperaWe reported on Friday that Craig Rutenberg, former Director of Music Administration at the Metropolitan Opera, was homeless and dstitute after two surgical operations and eviction from his apartment.
So far, his friends have succeeded in raising $84,000. At least $100k is needed.
The list of donors includes eminent conductors, singers, administrators and even one Times critic.
The Met, however, has turned a deaf ear.
If you can help Craig, click here.
UPDATE: Peter Gelb has now given $1,000.
Sarah Billinghurst gave $2,000.
The appeal has topped $100k.
An artist mismanaged his finances. Why is that the Met’s fault??? He was let go because he wasn’t doing his job well and creating a challenging environment for the singers, particularly the Lindemann kids. Gelb isn’t at fault for Craig squandering his earnings and not saving anything.
Let’s hope you don’t mismanage your finances by having to pay for two surgeries and a physical rehabilitation facility. You, too, can donate. Even anonymously, Anon.
Here’s the link: https://gofund.me/09bcfe0c
I’d wager you are the same Anon on the previous post regarding Craig. As someone who also spent a lot of time at the MET, you are completely mistaken about him. Craig likes to be the center of attention, for sure, and loves to wax poetic about all the famous people he’s worked with and always has a story or 6 to share at any moment…that is one of his charms. There is no questioning his great musical intellect and sensibility. The Lindemann program was doomed over a decade ago when the kids started walking around the halls with Schubert songs in their arms and were barely involved in the opera productions. Jimmy used them as his toy box to coach art song and the MET music staff had been instructed to never give the YAPs any feedback, corrections, or criticism whenever they were involved. Not to mention that several voiceless wonders have become MET stars thanks to Jimmy favoring them and giving them big roles in his last seasons. Most of the staff never even knew who was in the program because they were kept so far away from the actual daily goings-on of the theater. So, if you were someone who came up through that program in the last 10-15 years, I’m very sorry for you. And if you took issue with Craig, who was aware of how those talents were being coveted and squandered and not being made to pull their weight in theater, then I’d suggest you start looking at your experience from some other angles. Where you are mistaken is that Craig did his job beautifully, but Gelb doesn’t like being surrounded by people who actually know that he doesn’t know anything about singing, singers, or opera. They challenge his decisions and are removed. I hope for your sake your dismissal of his situation doesn’t come back to bite you in the future.
That’s nice, end with a threat. Classy.
If you saw the Anon commenter on the previous post where they claim that “carma” [sic] has come from Rutenberg, you would understand the context. No one is threatening anyone.
Not classy is your previous soulless rant about a person down on his luck.
AlsoAnon clearly knows and understands Craig. A character…and a talented one.
There, but for the grace of god, go all of us!!
I knew the Lindemann program was in dire straits for a LONG time but I didn’t realize the kids were walking around with ‘Schubert songs’. That whole program needs to go and especially the administrative staff. Explains why there are no viable Gildas at the MET these days
It’s disappointing to read this about the MET and its machinations but hardly surprising, I guess. Any large organization has its very own ‘corrupt’ individuals who maintain power through networks of coercion and by neutering anybody with a voice and contrary opinion. This happened to me in high school teaching; the better the results the more threatened some became – even right up to the top tiers of a school, such as a Deputy Principal. Jealousy and insecurity are two terribly malignant traits, not confined to the arts.
Susanne Mentzer, the great mezzo-soprano writes: “Craig is my long-time musical soulmate and collaborator since 1982 and this could happen to any of us.”
Sadly, she is correct.
Correction: he quit.
As an institution the Met cannot come to the rescue of employees who have fallen hard times particularly given its financial troubles. But you have no idea what individual members of the administration may have given.
Actually, by looking at the list of names, there are many artists and administration members who have donated.
Peter Gelb has donated.
Did you expect to see “The Metropolitan Opera” listed in the donor roll? Sarah Billinghurst and Peter Gelb have given generously.
The villains here are the inhumane American healthcare system and the insane NYC rental market.
This is ridiculous. Universal Healthcare now!!! Expand Medicare!!!!! Now!!!!! Vote for it!!!! Without it the USA is a third world country. Paying medical bills with Go Fund Me is insanity. Shameful.
The U.S. is by now way BELOW the living standards of even many third world countries – a process that began with the Reagan administration.
One of the reasons why I never accepted invitations to move to, and work in, the States: two surgeries in Europe would never put you in debt and leave you potentially homeless.