Hyperbolic opera press release of the year
NewsJust in:
Milestone Announcement: Dr. Everett McCorvey Named Inaugural Principal Guest Conductor at Opera Columbus
Columbus, OH — Opera Columbus proudly unveils a historic moment in its rich artistic journey as it welcomes the distinguished Dr. Everett McCorvey as the inaugural Principal Guest Conductor. This prestigious appointment marks a pivotal chapter in the opera company’s legacy, enhancing its commitment to artistic brilliance and innovation.
Dr. McCorvey’s illustrious career as a conductor, educator, and performer has already left an indelible mark on opera….
I thought the ‘brilliant’ conductor who left an ‘indelible mark on opera’ was Herr Professore maestro Nello Santi.
Definitely written by AI
It does sound a bit like Dulcamara’s entrance.
Excessive, agreed. But have you ever read a Met Opera marketing piece? It’s as if their writers just discovered adjectives and have never heard of Strunk and White.
The headline and several of these comments appear to be written by people who are fun at parties…
This is marketing for the arts. If you’re looking for bland, fact based reporting, go read the Wall Street Journal.
“Marketing for the arts” has clearly been a failure.
Does anyone still use Strunk and White?
Writers
My graduate music theory professor required us to purchase “Elements of Style.”
I can still recall his favorite line – which he always said twice.
“Avoid needless repetition.”
Based on the grammatical calibre of the majority of comments on discussion boards and BTL, more people should.
Only on this site would someone use a nothing article about a 4th tier opera company as a reason to bash the Met. “Tiredofitall,” we are Tiredofyou.
This answers the previous question to Dear Alma as to whether the letter writer should finish her PhD in performance: yes, so that all future press releases about each and everyone of your historic brilliant illustrious legacy career moves will be backed up by your title Dr.
(I mean he’s a Dr. in musical arts from the University of Alabama, what more proof do you need of his brilliance illustriousness historicness legacyness? )
In my mind’s eye I see Corky St. Clair.
With respect, why shouldn’t the local opera company in Columbus do everything it can to promote interest. I doubt if the announcement was meant for the public outside Columbus. I don’t think the ridicule in the SD posts thus far is appropriate when Columbus is only trying to generate interest and enthusiasm.
The problem is, press releases are supposed to be written as informational tools for journalists, who then go on and write fact-based stories about the news at hand. But this is so overloaded in puffery that it gets in the way of its main purpose, of informing the public. It was clearly written not with a journalistic audience in mind, but purely for the conductor and executives at the company.
The problem with hyperbolic press releases, even in Columbus, is what do you say when the next event happens? This was just for a new guest conductor, what do you do with a new principal conductor, a new music director, a famous opera singer? You just copy and paste the new name to the old press release?
Finally! Columbus Opera has a principal guest conductor.
What is hyperbolic about the word “inaugural”? It is merely factual — though I grant there are more simple words to express this fact.
You know, Everett is a super guy and talented. But, as with many of us, his credibility can be questioned unfairly by things out of his control. Toscanini couldn’t live up to that hype!
Makes you wonder what their press release would be like if they scored a bona-fide world class conductor such as Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.