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Opera stirs drama by firing soprano
Posted by Fired Fred on September 28, 2007 4:31 PM
It takes a special person to appreciate the nuances of opera. Fortunately, it doesn't take much skill to make fun of the opera when it engages in a public meltdown with one of its stars.
The Lyric Opera in Chicago sandbagged Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu just before she was supposed to open in La Boheme. She hit a bad noted with the Lyric's management...
"It is with tremendous regret and sadness that we are compelled to take this action, but Miss Gheorghiu's actions have shown total disregard for Lyric Opera's dedicated personnel and for her fellow artists," said Lyric general director William Mason in a statement.She's married to a tenor, and the two of them have such a great reputation for hissy fits that they're known as opera's Bonnie and Clyde.
"Miss Gheorghiu has missed 6 of 10 rehearsals, including the piano dress rehearsal and both staging rehearsals with the orchestra. She missed one of the most critical stage-orchestra rehearsals when she left the city for New York without permission, a direct violation of her contract." Gheorghiu also refused to attend fittings for the new costumes she herself had demanded, he added.
Airy Angela wanted a couple of days off to be with her husband in New York. It just so happens he's singing in the romantic "Romeo et Juliette" alongside stunning soprano Anna Netrebko, who's six years younger than Angela...
"I asked Lyric Opera to let me go to New York for two days to be with him, and they said, 'No.' But I needed to be by Roberto's side at this very important moment," Gheorghiu said in a statement. "I have sung 'Boheme' hundreds of times, and thought missing a few rehearsals wouldn't be a tragedy."Very important moment, eh? I'm thinking she wanted to be on hand with some weed-killer in case her hubby and his co-star showed signs of a budding romance.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia. Newly found respect for Anna Netrebko courtesy of Google image search.