I think I just made a rash promise on Opera-L to go to Die Walküre in 2009. I don't think that will go down very well with Jimmy. And having made that rash promise, I've been emailed to asking if I'm going to Plácido's 40th Anniversary Gala. Oh sure, I can see it now "Jimmy, you know I'm intending, assuming I can get a ticket when online booking opens, to drag you off to Madrid for Tamerlano in late March in early April, well I'm also intending to go to LA in mid-April. Hope you don't mind!" To be honest, I remember a quote from someone who had a three hour wait while changing planes in LA en route to New Zealand, 'three hours is enough for anybody in LA'. And I guess, from the start of Act I to the end of Act II is just about three hours, but it's an awfully long way to go for just three hours.
Anyway, I just wanted to post that the General Director of Los Angeles Opera announced the 2008/9 season yesterday, in which I have not the slightest interest except for Die Walküre. Nope, not even The Fly which I'm not going to see in Paris even though I practically live in a banlieue of Paris*.
And really the only reason I wanted to post was in order to post this picture
which I stole from View From A Loft
The Los Angeles Music Center, which, I think is the umbrella body that includes the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, announced that the opera house will be closed for refurbs in 2013, of all years. Plácido isn't happy, not surprisingly...
Domingo appeared a bit surprised by Roundtree pinning down 2013 as the year to shut down the house. It had previously been announced for 2011 and L.A. opera was considering staging performances in other countries to expand its visibility.
"I hope its 2012 or 14," Domingo said, noting that 2013 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Verdi and Wagner. "It will be difficult to look for an opera house to celebrate those anniversaries."
* total rubbish, of course, Paris is a suburb of London
