Biz news: Angela Gheorghiu dumps her management
NewsThe Romanian soprano has quit Mark Hildrew at AskonasHolt and placed her general management in the hands of Nathan Morrison at Intermusica.
Gheorghiu may no longer be a global headliner but the drift of well-known artists away from Askonas is starting to look like a trend.
Yikes! What’s going on at Askonas??
If you’re an industry insider then you’ll know that when a manager moves to a different agency sometimes the artist chooses to follow, whether immediately or later on….
We’re not talking about one artist to one agency though, what’s being reported is a steady exodus of top-level talent?
“…what’s being reported” being the crucial words in your comment.
They are owned by music conservatory, perhaps this is why …
Yes it does look that way.
In truth, an Angela Gheorghiu agency switch says more about the agency that has signed her than about the artist. It says that they’re in need of high-profile artists, even if they’ve essentially made themselves unbookable at this point.
A quick look at the agency’s opera singers and it includes among many other top-flight names Elina Garanca, Alice Coote, Jane Archibald, Aida Garifullina, and the amazing Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha. I also read that Gheorghiu is currently performing a concert series in China and returns to Covent Garden next season, and in my opinion is still bloody fabulous. So, doesn’t smell like a desperate move to me, but I don’t work in the industry.
Where else is she performing? She has a handful of opera performances a year at Covent Garden (nothing close to a big run) and then a very few number of concerts in territories that require a huge amount of administrative work (visas can be a massive headache and require a huge amount of work). Sure, the artist may ultimately make an agency low five figures in fees, but is that really worth the extensive work of servicing and dealing with a famously temperamental artist who barely sings fifteen times a year at this point?
She is still one of the very few selling out a venue and, according to recent videos, in much better voice than many younger sopranos. Good for Intermusica for signing this great diva
She was not in good voice when I heard her some years ago.
I bet the ceiling in Hildrews office has hundreds of champagne corks embedded in it. The career is down the pan anyway and the hassle involved in managing her is not worth the effort.
Indeed, they must be so “happy” that they probably lost one of the only remaining artist bringing them the big bucks… are you for real??
To be noted: Intermusica not only signed Askonas’ artists, but both Morrison and Thurnball (managing Gheorghiu) were Askonas Holt’s employees until recently, so perhaps it’s also about artists continuing their work with the same agents, but at a different agency
It’s a nice theory, but Hildrew has managed Gheorghiu for decades, so it doesn’t tally.
Hildrew last Garanca too, after years of working together, among many others who already made the move to Intermusica earlier than Gheorghiu did. There certainly must be a good reason for so many artists to leave Askonas. Perhaps Hildrew is tired or just sick of all of it. Who really cares in the end? As long as an artist and her/his agency are happy to work together, nothing (and nobody) really matters.
Oh yeah, every manager loves to lose a top fee artist! Have a word lol
Angela is a tough cookie, at the top of her game since quite some time now. Her concert in Dublin last year was simply breathtaking and her voice is still diamond
Bet he’s relieved.
Oh lá lá lá lá lá lá!
The words from people of Askonas are very bitter. I think you have touched a nerve Norman!
It is quite funny but a little sad to observe from outside. Changes of artists happen it is sometimes happy and sometimes sad. Anyway you wish them luck and good future and not do bitching.
Este da , un diamant , vocea , frumusetea si personalitatea stralucesc si sper sa ajung o data macar sa o admir dintr o sala de concerte . Imi fac din aceasta dorinta , un scop sa continui dupa pierderea sotului meu care era un alt admirator .
Ii doresc sa invinga toate greutatile si sa cante !