Superstar opera director gives up New York and Paris for Madrid
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 | 3:49 PM ET
CBC News
Related
Gérard Mortier, the acclaimed general director of the Paris Opera, has been snapped up by the Teatro Real opera in Madrid.
Early this month, Mortier cancelled plans to take over as general manager and artistic director of the New York City Opera, saying the company hadn't raised enough money to pay for the kind of season he wanted to stage.
Mortier had demanded a $60-million US budget for his first season in New York.
The Belgian-born director is known for his flambuoyant and sometimes controversial productions, including a recent Paris production of The Magic Flute in which actors wore neon-lit jumpsuits.
He made his start at La Monnaie in Brussels and was director at the Salzburg Festival in the 1990s, scandalizing traditional opera patrons with updated and sometimes political productions.
Teatro Real has struggled for years to be considered on the same level as other great European opera houses.
The hiring of Mortier, announced Wednesday, is considered a coup.
Mortier, 65, will replace both artistic director Antonio Moral and musical director Jesus Lopez Cobos, whose contracts expire in 2010.
He will work with the Teatro Real's permanent team of orchestra directors, taking up his new post in January 2010.
With files from the Associated PressShare Tools
- Spider-Man trailer: fresh take or more of the same?by Arts Online Feb. 7, 2012 5:15 PM Spider-Man? Yes. Amazing? Maybe. The first full-length trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man -- the reboot of the comic-turned-movie trilogy -- has been released. But considering the previous movie franchise ended a mere five years ago and that we've been bombarded with stories about the troubled Broadway musical adaptation since then, this reboot does beg the question: Do we really need to revisit Spider-Man?
Top News Headlines
- Online surveillance bill tabled in House
- A bill that is expected to give police and intelligence agencies new powers to access Canadians' electronic communications, sometimes without a warrant, has been tabled in the House of Commons. more »
- Fantino says Canada's F-35 jet purchase 'evolving'
- Canada's minister responsible for military procurement now appears open to adjusting the Defence Department's order for F-35 fighter jets, citing an economic environment "we may not have any control over." more »
- What to get your special someone on Valentine's Day
- For those looking for a last-minute Valentine's Day gift, here are some ideas — from the traditional to the outlandish. more »
- Sperm donor anonymity case moves to B.C. Appeal Court
- The B.C. government hopes to retain the anonymity of sperm donors as it launches a high-court appeal of a ruling last year won by a woman who wanted to know the identity of her father. more »
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Famed romance began with exchange of letters
- The 573 love letters exchanged between Elizabeth Barrett and her future husband, fellow poet Robert Browning, are now viewable online. more »
- Amend copyright bill to end radio 'subsidy,' groups urge
- Musicians and record labels want the federal government to amend its copyright reform act to end a break for commercial radio stations that reduces royalty payments to artists. more »
- Tree-planting memoir wins $40K lit prize
- Charlotte Gill's vivid memoir of her 17 years as a tree-planter, which weaves her experiences into an examination of logging and its environment impact, has won the B.C. National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. more »
- Golden Collar Awards name The Artist's Uggie top dog
- Even dog actors can get awards in Tinseltown, and six pooches collected prizes at the inaugural Golden Collar Awards. more »
Q Blog
Colm Feore guest hosts Q Feb. 14, 2012 11:21 AM The acclaimed Canadian actor sits in for Jian this Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 6th & 7th, as the guest host on Q! Click through for more details.
CBC Books
Exploring black Canadian literature Feb. 14, 2012 10:42 AM Throughout February, literary journalist Donna Bailey Nurse will be blogging about black Canadian writers and their important works. In her first post, she explains how she came to love reading and mentions some of the writers who have inspired her most.
- Online surveillance critics accused of supporting child porn
- HMCS Corner Brook collision damage extensive
- Whitney Houston's funeral to be held Saturday
- Mandatory gun sentence struck down by Ontario judge
- Mooning Queen proves costly for Australian man
- Stanley Cup rioter seen in brick attack on cop
- Whitney Houston estate value set to soar
- Man pleads guilty to murder of stepdaughter, 17
- Teen's Facebook post prompts dad to shoot computer
