Licking Zeffirelli

‘The last world should go to the legendary director Franco Zeffirelli, not a left-winger like most of Muti’s Milan critics, nor a stranger to egomania. In a virulent outburst Zeffirelli first denounced Muti’s Scala regime: “La Scala has lost that magic. It has become the Vanity Fair of a mediocre conductor. The level of La Scala has gone down the sink.”

And then he really got personal. Muti, he said, is “… drunk with himself, drugged by his own art, and his own personal vanity. He can only talk about himself. He has become a caricature of a maestro.”

All very sad. And the saddest thing of all is that apart from Muti himself, no one has told Zeffirelli he is wrong. It could and should all have been so different.’

Quoted from David Mellon (Independent)

‘The Guardian put Zeffirelli’s allegations to Muti’s office for comment. A spokeswoman said: “Maestro Muti did not intend to reply to Franco Zeffirelli’s reiterated and gratuitous accusations.”

In choosing to attack […], Zeffirelli has broken ranks with his own political allies. He is a senator for the Forza Italia party of Italy’s prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, which controls Milan city council. The mayor of Milan, Gabriele Albertini, who also heads the board of governors of La Scala, is himself a member of Forza Italia.

Muti has had friendly relations with the right, whereas Fontana had been backed by local trade unionists and the leftwing opposition on the council.

“I don’t give a damn,” said Zeffirelli. “Just as if an actor is a communist, I don’t give a damn so long as he is good.”

He said his sympathies concerning the present dispute were with the musicians of the orchestra – “the flesh and blood of La Scala” – whose opinions had not even been sought. “They are a very important part of the creative process. They are the crème de la crème and they expect to be treated as something more than just people on the pay roll.”

[…]

Zeffirelli is not the only conservative with misgivings. The Milan councillor responsible for the arts resigned on hearing Fontana had been removed, and the leader of the Northern League’s group on the council, Matteo Salvini, told this week’s meeting: “We can’t understand the mayor’s decision.”

Asked how he would resolve the crisis, Zeffirelli said: “My first thought would be to go to the orchestra and say ‘I’m sorry, please don’t let this terrible business stain our marvellous creative relationship, let’s go back and fix it’.”

If Muti were not capable of doing that, “he should resign”, Zeffirelli added.’

Quoted from the Guardian (Recriminations fly as crisis engulfs La Scala)

My memories of experiencing live some the great director’s productions are priceless.