New York City Opera announced Monday that it will cancel the remainder of its season after Anna Nicole if it does not raise $7 million by September 30th (one million of which will be through an online Kickstarter campaign) AND will cancel their entire 2014-15 season if they do not raise an additional $13 million by the end of the year.
I have a couple questions about this. We received the email from NYCO and its General Manger George Steel announcing the $7 million 3-week campaign at 6:06am on Monday morning September 9th. In it they do not mention canceling the entire 2014-15 season without the additional $13 million, only “Beyond that (the $7 million by September 30th), we aim to raise an additional $13 million by the end of 2013 towards future seasons.”
Here’s my question: how did NYCO get to September 9thwithout knowing it needs to raise $7 million by the end of the month? They obviously did know as the Kickstarter campaign was ready to go as was the mass emailing and newspaper blitz. Yet during the first 9 days of September I continued to receive mailings and emails from NYCO (and St. Ann’s Warehouse and BAM) advertising business and season as usual.
Stranger still, I received two emails Sunday morning September 8th from BAM promoting Anna Nicole. One inviting me to buy a ticket for the Opening Night Afterparty for Anna Nicole at a minimum of $150 a ticket, going up to $1250 for a “Dinner, Show and Party ticket”. “Join BAM and New York City Opera for a fabulous after-party with all the glam grandiosity of the opera’s heroine, Anna Nicole Smith. Features dazzling appearances by drag performers and aerialists, plus free drinks, Texas-inspired treats, music by DJ Idlemind, and more, more, more.” it proclaimed.
More, more, more? This sat uncomfortably with me after receiving the Monday NYCO $7 million panicking dear-lord-help-us email. Fabulous glam grandiosity? Is there not something inherently disingenuous about that? Who wants to spend ANOTHER $150 minimum to go to some broke ass party for some broke ass opera company who didn’t even let us know they were broke until AFTER asking us to come to their “fabulous after party”? I sure hope BAM is handling the catering for the event. AND the aerialists, good lord. The drag performers are on their own. I have been looking forward to Anna Nicole for almost a year. We started receiving emails from NYCO about it in the spring. Initially, you could ONLY buy tickets for Anna Nicole as part of a minimum 3 opera package from NYCO so I waited and waited, being told by the NYCO operators that single tickets would go on sale for members first in June, then July. Then at last on August 5th I received an email from NYCO proclaiming “Member’s Only Pre-Sale to Anna Nicole! Get Your Single Tickets Now! Starting today, August 5th with a gift of $50 or more you will receive priority access to single tickets before they go on sale to the general public on August 12th.” And additionally, “Becoming a member today is the surest way to ensure access to the best tickets for Anna Nicole and the rest of this must-see season.” We were in.
We immediately became members at the $50 level and I called for tickets the next day. The selection of tickets available for the Premiere of Anna Nicole was extremely limited and poor. The entire orchestra was reserved for a “special event” which is fine of course, but the mezzanine tickets available were either far, far off to the side or far back (row J or behind). Katie, the NYCO operator to whom I spoke, and who was very sympathetic and helpful, admitted this was NOT because they were selling out but because BAM released only a very limited number of tickets to NYCO for sale. This felt like neither priority nor the best. I initially bought row J but then after going over these emails called and was moved to row E after the manager “contacted BAM and they gave us a pair of seats that are much closer.” So BAM completely runs the show it seems. How is this the case? Is it not BAM and NYCO present Anna Nicole? And if this is the case why didn’t NYCO make an exclusive deal with City Center and keep NYCO on the island? I guess it’s ultimately reassuring that SOMEONE is running the show, as NYCO sure as hell is not running anything in a competent way.
This is further evidenced by the exceedingly bizarre $1 million NYCO Kickstarter campaign, which by this morning has raised $68,218 with 18 days left to raise the $1 million. The headline on the NYCO Kickstarter page is “The People’s Opera need your help to produce a thrilling 2013-2014 Season.” The page was started on 9/8, 9 days before the thrilling 2013-14 season begins. Again is this not terribly disingenuous? How is it NYCO did not know they were in such dire financial straits months ago? Thank goodness I did not buy a 3 or 4 opera subscription as I would truly be livid at now being asked to donate to Kickstarter just to be able to see the shows I bought tickets for 3 months ago. It feels tasteless, creepy and weird. The “swag” for the NYCO Kickstarter is especially weird. For a $30 donation you get a postcard and “special thanks on our web donor wall.” For $100 you get a four pack of postcards and the fab mention on the virtual donor wall. For $500 you get a 2013-14 NYCO season poster. And weirdest of all to me, for $10,000 you get a walk on role in Endimione (if they actually do the show) OR the opportunity to “Throw an opera party in your home or workplace” complete with pianist, NYCO singer and 30 minute program. Some party for 10k. It all just feels so desperate and déclassé.
I honestly feel foolish for having taken NYCO’s season so seriously. I even feel foolish for having been so excited about it. I loved much of what they did last year but this level of mismanagement and last minute Hail Mary desperation makes me not want to go to anything they produce NOR help them in any way. As opposed to the “I Stand By New York City Opera” bumper sticker they are peddling on Kickstarter, they should just put a singer in front of BAM with a sign that says “NYCO – Will Sing For Food” and I’d be more partial to helping them I think.
– Elizabeth Frayer and Shawn E Milnes
For more information or to help New York City Opera –
New York City Opera Press Release
New York City Opera Kickstarter Campaign
Related Links:
New York City Opera, Kickstarter and the WTF Moment (Part 2)
Discordant Fellatio: Powder Her Face (NYCO at BAM)
The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned in Brooklyn: The Turn of the Screw (NYCO at BAM)
Pineapples, Piñatas and Offenbach: NYCO’s La Périchole at New York City Center
First off, I completely second you thoughts on their bazaar 'perks' from the get go. I mean, haven't they heard of Cafe Press? Throw a coffee cup in there, or a tshirt for chrissake, but I don't want to spend $100 and get 4 postcards and download of a picture. PLus, for 10k I think it should be a private concert and dinner with George Steel and the Cast and Artistic Crew of Anna Nicole… at a minimum. I mean for one of the 'people' of peoples opera to drop 10k on something, it's gotta be amazing.
Now as for their timing on starting a kickstarted, having looked into it myself, it suggests that you do a short intense time, they suggest 21 days on their materials. In this case it just doesn't seem that well thought out. I think we could say that for most of the decision of the NYCO Opera.
The people's opera. LaGuardia. The more that they are in trouble the more they are parading around this illustrious history. A history that they sold off last year. I would love to have the People's Opera back in New York. It was the great stepping stone for so many singers, and it should have been for generations of american singers to come, and it isn't. probably won't be. It was supposed to be something that brought opera into the hands of the 'average' new yorker. I am ok with them making the opening night party something a little more exclusive, but when you are making the tickets as difficult to get, and as expensive as you are for a 'people's opera' we have a problem.
Brava, you hit the nail on the head.