This Week in Classical Music-June 21, 2009

June 21, 2009

Daniele Gatti

( Phoenix, AZ )
•Gatti to Zurich
•AZ Opera cuts costs
•Chicago Opera patrons vote faves

It’s This week in Classical Music, an update on what’s happening in the classical music world; I’m Randy Kinkel.

Danielle Gatti has been named the new principal conductor of the Zurich Opera Orchestra. The Italian conductor has signed on for three seasons – his first opera in the role will be Strauss’s Elektra, which opens on January 23, 2010. The chairman of the orchestra committee, Urs Dengler, said the decision was “endorsed by the overwhelming majority of the orchestra and choir of Zurich Opera House.” Gatti, meanwhile, spoke of the “fantastic atmosphere and musical spirit” of the organization.

Arizona Opera is cutting costs. In an attempt to bring expenses in line with projected income, the company consolidated several senior positions, implemented layoffs and furloughs, and reduced all salaries. The budget has also reportedly been re-structured. “The Board of Trustees evaluated every scenario before proceeding with some tough but strategically sound decisions," said incoming chairman of the board David Christensen. "Every arts organization in Arizona and across the country must adjust to current economic realities.” The company is expected to hire a general director to head its overall operations. The position is expected to be filled by this fall, officials said.

The Chicago Opera recently asked Opera goers to help them decide which operas to perform during the upcoming 2011 season; they gave opera fans several months to decide and asked that they pay one dollar per vote. Voting ended June 15th, and the results are in: the winner? Shostakovich’s Moscow, Cheryomushky—a comic opera about a group of tenants that band together to outwit the stubborn and corrupt Building management. Chicago Opera Theater has never before performed a work by this composer and it has been 25 years since a Shostakovich opera has been performed in Chicago. Second place went to Richard Strauss’s Capriccio, and in third was the magic Flute by Mozart; the company raised $33,000 in the effort.

For more on these and other items and events, go to the website, kbaq.org; be listening each week at this time for another update; and join me every weekday at noon for the Mozart Buffet, an hour of music by Mozart and his contemporaries; I’m Randy Kinkel for This Week in Classical Music on 89-5 KBAQ Phoenix, a service of Rio Salado College and Arizona State University.