In what is turning into a regular guest slot we have a third blog installment by our friend Viswa Subbaraman, Artistic Director of the Skylight Music Theater in Milwaukee. Enjoy!.
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Don Quichotte Rides Again: Viswa and the San Diego Opera
Just because I’m lazy here’s another post from my colleague Viswa Subbaraman on the San Diego Opera situation: A lot has been going on with the San Diego Opera in the past week. I’m going to try to talk about the most updated information I’ve seen, but it’s changing pretty rapidly. If I’m behind in my analysis, I apologize. I want to preface all of the following tirade with these important disclaimers: I don’t know the exact numbers behind the SDO issues. I have not seen a statement of cash flows, … Continue Reading
Guest Blog: Viswa and The San Diego Opera
It has been a few days now and yet I still don’t understand this decision on the part of the San Diego Opera board. But what do I know? I don’t spend every waking moment dreaming about opera, producing opera, conducting opera, etc., so I’ve turned to someone who does.
All The King’s Horses
About a week ago a friend asked me why I hadn’t posted a blog on the Minnesota Orchestra lately. My response was that I was waiting until the lockout was over. I’m not sure which of us was more surprised: him, for what I said; or me, that he was surprised I said it. Unfortunately, it’s the truth – the lockout is not over.
Context versus Urtext – Part 2 – The First Time We met
So you have become a Music Director, bravo! Time to work on that repertoire bucket list…well yes, but not yours!..
The Conscience of the Kings
Those who are not fans of the original Star Trek do not realize what a gift to our society that show was. It gave us our first interracial kiss on TV (Plato’s Stepchildren), a searing look at racism (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield), and profound episodes dealing with what it means to be “human” (Miri, Amok Time, Turnabout Intruder, The Corbomite Maneuver, and a host of others). But my favorite episode has always been “The Conscience of the King,” a terrific look at the aftereffects of dictatorship/fascism on society and on individual lives, with a little Hamlet thrown in for good measure. Some of my colleagues should sit down and watch this.
The Super Bowl; or What’s Wrong With Classical Music
Like millions of Americans, and indeed hundreds of millions of people worldwide, I look forward to the Super Bowl every year, even if there’s not a chance in hell that my Buffalo Bills will be playing in it (again). It’s one of those cultural rituals that interrupts the long and ghastly winter, and it’s a convenient excuse to overdose on wings and guacamole. This year, of course, there is an added reason to look forward to the big game because Renée Fleming is singing the national anthem. And then the haters come out of the closet…
Context versus Urtext – Part 1 – It should be about not caring what we play!
The wringing of hands over programming might as well be the wringing of necks because it can literally put a stranglehold on the success of an organization. Warning pop culture reference and cliche dead ahead!