Review

Met’s 2012-13 season revealed?

6 Comments

A Parterre commenter appears to have leaked the Metropolitan Opera’s entire 2012-13 schedule with casting details. There is much to comment upon, but in brief, assuming that the information is genuine: I’m very happy that Daniele Gatti will be conducting the new production of Parsifal (having had a good experience with him at Bayreuth), am still curious as to who will be directing Rigoletto (rumor has it that Luc Bondy’s supposed co-production from Vienna has been dumped) and am very unhappy that the Met has said nyet to any operas in Slavic languages and nein to all Strauss for the second year running. I know it’s Verdijahr but how many oom pah pahs does a girl really have to stand? (Just kidding. I love Verdi. But I might love some other opera composers just as much.)

The new production directors I do know: Bartlett Sher will be doing Elisir for opening night (I love Elisir d’amore far more than most people but would never think it opening night material, this confuses me), Robert Lepage is doing The Tempest, David Alden Ballo (!), François Girard Parsifal, and David McVicar both Maria Stuarda and Giulio Cesare (the latter is the “Bollywood” Glyndebourne production).

Update: The spy provides the production teams. The Rigoletto director is Michael Mayer, of Broadway’s Spring Awakening. Considering the success of the Met’s recent Broadway transplants, I groaned a bit at this news.

The official announcement will be on February 24, next Friday February 23, next Thursday (it seems to have been moved—good to know they aren’t trying a Friday News Dump).

You may also like

6 Comments

  1. Also strange that in 2013 there's no Britten. Obviously weren't prepared to wait and see how Skelton makes out as Siegmund in the opening cycle this season, as Simon O'Neill seems back in favour.

  3. Naja, Marcillac, I am inclined to agree but would like to postpone saying anything too strong until the official announcement is out.

    Anon, yeah, the 20th-century slate in general is very weak. And I would much rather hear Skelton than O'Neill (and not because the former is a delightful Twitter personality, though he is).

  4. Not familiar with Skelton on Twitter. Worth following? I hear, just quietly, that S O'Neill is also (albeit largely unoffcial, I'm sure) Siegmund and at least one of the Siegfrieds when HGO tackle the Ring. Got the impression that Skelton wasn't altogther terrible (if reports are to be believed) as Drum Major at MET last year. Perhaps the Siegmund will lead to more? Certainly the word from Seattle in 2009 was very positive and he has been reinvited there for 2013, as well as Paris in the same season. Can't have enough good heldentenors, I suppose.

  5. Anon, I have heard neither O'Neill nor Skelton as Siegmund but have heard both as Parsifal and O'Neill as Florestan as well. I found O'Neill's tone weak and nasal while Skelton was nuanced and much more plausibly heroic-sounding. (And his Twitter is definitely worth following, he is very jovial and friendly.)