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New York City Opera Goes Under After 70 Years
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 1, 2013
Modified Oct 1, 2013
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Courtesy of BAM
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 1, 2013
Modified Oct 1, 2013
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If only there was an appropriate opera-related cliche to convey the news that it's all over for New York City Opera. The long-running "people's opera" opened in 1944 with a performance of Puccini’s Tosca, but struggled financially in recent years, drastically cutting the number of annual performances and operating without a home since leaving Lincoln Center in 2011. The opera's final production,Anna Nicole, wrapped up at BAM last week.
An emergency Kickstarter tried and failed to keep the opera afloat. Today a spokesperson for City Opera announced in a statement that they "did not achieve the goal of its emergency appeal. Today, the board and management will begin the necessary financial and operational steps to wind down the Company including initiating the Chapter 11 process."
City Opera "was known for championing new works, helping start the careers of major singers including Beverly Sills and Plácido Domingo, and making opera affordable and accessible," the Times reports. Domingo said yesterday it "would be an absolute tragedy for that legacy to come to an end."
Tagged
city opera
opera
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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