Met Reverses Itself on Reviews Ban by Opera News

[YankeeFan]

Interesting story. Sort of odd that they own a publication that would be in a position to review their own performances.

But, in the end, it sounds like they have a lot more leeway than any of the RSN's that are owned by professional sports teams.

The Metropolitan Opera on Tuesday backed away from its decision to bar reviews of its productions in Opera News, its affiliated magazine and the leading opera publication in the country.

The Met said an “outpouring of reaction” from opera fans on the Internet caused it to change course a day after The New York Times reported that Met officials and the publishers of Opera News had decided to stop reviewing Met shows.

“I think I made a mistake,” said Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager. “The Metropolitan Opera only exists with the good will of the public. Clearly the public would miss Opera News not being able to review the Met, and we are responding to that,” he added, referring to a “groundswell of disappointment.”

Opera News is published by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, an organization set up in the 1930s to provide financial support for the Met. It is now a close auxiliary, run by a Met assistant manager.

Mr. Gelb had originally said it made no sense for Opera News to review performances by a company the Guild existed to support, especially when those reviews were negative.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-reverses-itself-on-review-ban.html?hp

 

[LongTimeListener]

Do opera reviewers say "the game ain't over till the tobacco-chewing redneck strikes out"?

 

[Precious Roy]

I think it was pretty honest of them to just go ahead and pull the reviews, they could have just given everything a glowing review and went on from there. Nice to see that they understand what does actually constitute a review and are willing to step back in and even run bad ones even though they really don't have to.

 

[Beef03]

I wonder what an outpouring of negative reaction looks like in the opera world

 

[HanSenSE]

Unavailable for comment:

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I wonder what an outpouring of negative reaction looks like in the opera world

 

[The Big Ragu]

I think it was pretty honest of them to just go ahead and pull the reviews, they could have just given everything a glowing review and went on from there. Nice to see that they understand what does actually constitute a review and are willing to step back in and even run bad ones even though they really don't have to.

There was nothing honest about it. It was the exact opposite of what you think.

The Met has gotten hammered the last few seasons with negative reviews of its staging and productions -- by the NY Times in particular. Among the opera snobs, the Met has really fallen in prestige compared to a lot of the other world operas over the last 5 or 6 years and the criticisms of each years' productions have been brutal.

Opera News gave them some negative reviews, which is what prompted the Met to cut off their access. It anything there was no conflict of interest tainting their coverage. They are willing to go in and eviscerate, which is what pissed off the Met and made them step into the PR disaster of cutting off their access.

 

[SF_Express]

I wonder what an outpouring of negative reaction looks like in the opera world

My mother managed a major mid-level American opera company for 40 years, and was on the board of Opera America.

Let me tell you: When opera people get their back up and get pissed or outraged about something, NFL fans have nothing on them.