He staged 123 new operas in a decade
OperaZurich Opera has rolled out Andreas Homoki’s final season in charge, pointing out that in 13 years (including Covid) he was responsible for 123 new opera productions and 39 ballets.
Is that a modern record? Does anyone other opera chief average more than ten a season?
Homoki, 64, has yet to disclose his next destination. His final season contained nine new productions of which Homoki will direct two.
Bernd Loebe‘s Oper Frankfurt is well over the 200 mark since he took over in 2002.
That’s less than 10 per season, meaning 2 less per season than his predecessor Perreira. Also less than what Loebe is putting up in Frankfurt.
by g** they are good productions, however many!
it was decided that there would be less new productions than the previous regime but with a proper rehearsal period and high production values. Consistantly higher quality of productions with singers having to commit to full rehearsals rather than jetting in for the final days. Better all round for audiences and the company.
Oper Frankfurt – the best! With our Intendant Bernd Loebe!
A smart man, a good director. Homoki moved away from a Pereira-driven Opera „supermarkt“ and tried to bring new, interesting directors to Zurich. Some good choices, some bad choices, like everywhere. He completely ignored interesting or expert directors from several countries and focused on the usual german “Regietheater”, unfortunately, with long rehearsal periods and a rather dogmatic approach to the workflow. Good choice of having Luisi as Music Director, less good of replacing him with Noseda, who doesn’t care about the house and doesn’t involve himself in artistic decisions. Poor taste for singers, and bad choices for casting directors, especially recently. His productions were mostly good and he brought many new operas to Zurich. Definitely a good, serious and no-frills professional with ideas and vision, despite several flaws in choosing partners.
Secret banking for tax evaders, criminals, terrorists, arms dealers, and the paranoid give Switzerland enormous ill gained wealth which allows them to spend a fortune on new opera productions.