Gripes to the Times about the Met’s new operas
OperaFrom the New York Times letters page:
While the Met recently commissioned new works by Jeanine Tesori and Missy Mazzoli, they are the first two commissions given to female composers since its founding in 1883.
Robert Schumer
I have taught in numerous New York City public high schools over 48 years and have found that almost all of the kids have never heard of Puccini, Wagner or Verdi.
Robert Grandt
While I applaud the Met’s recent efforts to present and commission new works, opera companies in Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco have been in the forefront of commissioning and presenting new works for over three decades, including works by Black, Latino and women composers.
Anne S Arenstein
More here.
In his review of the Met’s new production of Giordano’s ‘Fedora’, Zachary Woolfe comments that Met has devoted substantial efforts to market its new operas, but devoted much less effort to marketing the standard repertoire works (Aida, Peter Grimes and Don Carlo, all of which had very poor box office results). One wonders if the results are what the Met wants so it can follow a woke path, performing works by African-American and women contemporary composers and neglecting the standard repertoire.
Woolfe is to be complimented for not being the kind of rubber stamp that his predecessor, Anthony Tommasini, was, for the Met and for new music in general.
“I have taught in numerous New York City public high schools over 48 years and have found that almost all of the kids have never heard of Puccini, Wagner or Verdi.”
Assuming music is within this person’s purview in the classroom, why would a student come out of the womb knowing the names and music of some of the world’s greatest composers? That is why they are going to school…that is YOUR job.
While school music classes can help, I was never formally taught anything about composers, as I abandoned music at school at the age of fourteen, instead pursuing physics (a premature focus on arts vs science is a topic for another day). I developed an interest in classical music by hearing pieces on television and radio, then buying tapes and CDs (in my day) and finally by attending concerts and operas. ‘Everyday’ exposure to these composers’ works is the key.
Of course, but you miss my point. At some point in life you pursue an interest on your own, but a child needs to be properly introduced to classical music in school to even be aware of its existence. It will take or not, but it should be part of an education, just as literature or visual art.
What was Anne S Arenstein hoping to be gained with her point? The Met doesn’t have a time machine, so it can’t go back and redo any of its prior seasons in order to include new works. Besides, why waste precious energy focusing on the negative instead of recognizing (and praising) the fact that the Met is currently stepping up its game in that regard? Better late than never, right?
Also, the Met has commissioned and presented several new works in the past three decades: Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, Glass’ The Voyage, Harbison’s The Great Gatsby, Picker’s An American Tragedy, Tan Dun’s The First Emperor, etc. They ought to be recognized and respected for those efforts rather than derided.
“Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, Glass’ The Voyage, Harbison’s The Great Gatsby, Picker’s An American Tragedy, Tan Dun’s The First Emperor” are full of tunes hummed daily at all NYC public schools?
Then the BLM-Woke-Feminist-LGBT+ -works will unite the city with beautiful music, creating peace and prosperity?
The only thing Peter Geld will never “reinvent” is his own position.