l'amour est un oiseau rebella

on taxi horns, no less. from the skylight opera theatre's 50th anniversary celebration: the inimitable mike lorenz, aka "ding." (but does it hold up next to callas?)

here is new york: lincoln center

"Although New York often imparts a feeling of great forlornness or forsakenness, it seldom seems dead or unresourceful; and you always feel that either by shifting your location ten blocks or by reducing your fortune by five dollars you can experience rejuvenation.

Many people who have no real independence of spirit depend on the city's tremendous variety and sources of excitement for spiritual sustenance and maintenance of morale. In the country there are a few chances of sudden rejuvenation – a shift in weather, perhaps, or something arriving in the mail. But in New York, the chances are endless. "

-- e.b. white
from his book here is new york

the continuing combustion

the big skylight theatre/milwaukee journal-sentinal pow-wow that happened last wednesday – an interview with skylight managing director eric dillner, board president suzanne hefty, past president howard miller and skylight marketing director kristin godfrey – produced some big scary financial numbers, some whining and groveling, and a couple of real doozies.

like this, from hefty:

"We knew [the company's restructuring, including firing artistic director William Theisen] would be an unpopular decision, but we didn't anticipate the pace or the tone. The social media response caught us off guard.

We need to get our message out that we're trying to manage through a recession and that the artistic vision of the Skylight hasn't changed at all. We haven't done that well; we will establish forums for conversation and explanation."

hefty, dillner and miller knew the decision would be so unpopular they didn't even inform the rest of the skylight's board of directors. and someone might remind hefty and miller that the artistic vision for the company comes from the artistic director. what's dillner going to do from now on, ask himself WWBD (what would bill do?)

after completely gutting the company of its entire artistic staff – the resident music director, the artistic associate/company manager, and the artistic director – it's almost sick-making that the words "artistic vision" would even come out of hefty's mouth.

but this is especially rich:

Dillner, Hefty and Miller acknowledged that they handled Theisen's departure badly and that it led to the continuing combustion. They would have handled things differently, especially since they ardently hope that Theisen will return on a freelance basis to direct three main stage shows and two studio shows next season. They need him for artistic and box office reasons, and they need his calming presence.

The plot of this drama will turn next on whether Theisen will help the company that pushed him out the door last week.

in other words: theisen must come in and save the day, and if the skylight fails without him, it's partly his fault.

this is pathetic, reprehensible behavior. if william theisen were to never set foot in the skylight theatre again, there would be no person who could or should blame him. dillner, hefty and miller are responsible for this mess, and they should bear the consequences of their decision.

sounds from the haunted mansion

also known as the prelude to stephen schwartz's new opera, seance on a wet afternoon, commissioned by opera santa barbara.

more here.