The atmosphere was lively and the crowd was both large and spirited for the New Year’s Eve gala premiere of Umberto Giordano’s charmingly melodramatic opera “Fedora” at the Metropolitan Opera.
Soprano Sonya Yoncheva and tenor Piotr Beczala, portraying aristocrats entangled in a web of deceit and passion, delivered their performances with intensity; conductor Marco Armiliato and the Met orchestra provided a smooth, subtle accompaniment; and David McVicar’s production was both dynamic and visually appealing. The evening was thoroughly enjoyable.
Yet, a small twinge of concern lingered for me. This wasn’t about the joyous atmosphere of Saturday night but rather about the future of the production.
When the Met inevitably brings “Fedora” back without the fanfare of its premiere, and possibly with a less star-studded cast, who will be there to see it?
This concern is amplified by the recent news that, following a post-Christmas announcement, the Met is facing financial difficulties.
The company revealed it would need to withdraw $30 million from its endowment—10 percent of its value—due to poor ticket sales and hesitant donors amongst the ongoing pandemic. Additionally, it will reduce the number of performances next season by 10 percent.