Sigh.
“We’ve heard, like everyone else, that opera is dying. It’s something that people associate with octogenarians. But we believe it can be made relevant to a young demographic,” says Thiers, who received her master’s degree in opera from Northwestern University.
So gee … how the heck to make it relevant for the younger folks? Let’s see … long pause … tapping foot … ponder ponder ponder …
Oh! I know!
Let’s put together a calendar. Of opera characters. Singers will pose. With not a lot of clothes on.
YES! That’s the ticket. That’s relevance, to be sure.
(You can read the article here, but you’ll have to register. Or go to this site to “borrow” an email address and password.)
What, no pictures in the article?
Hmmm… they should take a page from Peter Gelb’s playbook. While it’s too early to tell if he’s going to be successful at expanding the audience at the Met, he’s certainly doing some interesting things (tonight’s Letterman broadcast being one of them). And they seem more appropriate and relevant than an “opera babes” calendar.
Hi Mike!
I do plan on watching Letterman tonight … it works fairly well with getting home late from the show, and I always need to “come down” after work anyway. It will be so interesting to see what they do.
As to relevance … that seems to be the word of the day. Or the year. I’m just not into relevance. I’m just into music. And other things that bring me enjoyment. (And often frustration.) But there you go! 🙂