Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: James Levine passed away over a week ago | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 01:12 am EDT 03/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: James Levine passed away over a week ago - ryhog 07:32 pm EDT 03/20/21 | |
|
|
|
| "If the mindset had been different, it certainly could have been redeployed as a concert space as Mr Hammerstein's opera house (also lacking in almost every respect backstage, and probably to a much greater degree) was and still is." But again I ask, what kind of concerts would have been produced in that space, and who would have produced them in sufficient number to keep that huge theater viable? |
|
| reply to this message |
| re: James Levine passed away over a week ago | |
| Posted by: ryhog 06:18 pm EDT 03/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: James Levine passed away over a week ago - Michael_Portantiere 01:12 am EDT 03/21/21 | |
|
|
|
| The same kind that were and still are produced regularly (pre-covid) at Hammerstein Ballroom, the Beacon, and others. BAM Harvey is another example, though for theatre rather than concerts. Hell (no pun intended [or is it?]), people have even found ways to turn lovely Broadway theatres into churches without tearing them down. | |
| reply to this message |
| re: James Levine passed away over a week ago | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 03:13 pm EDT 03/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 03:10 pm EDT 03/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: James Levine passed away over a week ago - Michael_Portantiere 01:12 am EDT 03/21/21 | |
|
|
|
| There are enterprising people who might have found ways to utilize that space. Rudolph Bing realized this too, since for all its faults and virtues, the old house had been used for many years. Bing played up all the faults and downplayed what NY would be missing at the old house and built up all the necessary things for advanced stagecraft, more stages and backstage and under the stage to allow much more scenery to be stored, etc to get the new house built. But he was mostly unsentimental and calculating as to the the destruction of the old house, allowing a final concert to sum up all the nostalgia and summon up the historical ghosts that had sung at the building. The old Met was too big to be the "Mini Met" that others have talked about for having smaller operas produced in a smaller, more intimate setting. But the old house represented something Bing didn't want around -- an existing opera house that someone else could have leveraged to get opera singers to give concerts, perhaps European houses on American tours to rent out, etc. It's possible buildings across the street or nearby could have been bought and converted to store scenery, at the right price as well. Or else potential producers would have been aware of what the technical limitations were of the house in future bookings. But a destroyed opera house kept out any possibilities. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: James Levine passed away over a week ago | |
| Posted by: Billhaven 10:17 am EDT 03/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: James Levine passed away over a week ago - Michael_Portantiere 01:12 am EDT 03/21/21 | |
|
|
|
| It is difficult to find producers and investors for a space that is gone. The old house had housed operas for 84 years. Somehow they were able to stage memorable operas despite the drawbacks. Look at theater spaces all over the country that have adapted. The Beacon Theatre was build for silent films. It has almost NO backstage space. And yet concerts and touring plays and the TONY awards have used it. The Boston Opera House also began its life as a movie palace. Should they have torn it down because people started going to cineplexes? The Boston opera used it for years , then the Boston Ballet. I saw Hello Dolly there just 2 years ago. The Shubert Theater in New Haven was judged unviable because of its second balcony and limited space. It was thought it couldn't house the large scale touring shows. They couldn't. But they COULD accommodate smaller tours, concerts and plays. It is a thriving arts organization. To paraphrase FIELD OF DREAMS, "If they tear it down, they won't come". | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
Time to render: 0.011858 seconds.