CMU School of Drama


Friday, August 22, 2014

IATSE President Matthew Loeb's Letter to the Met Opera Board of Directors

Save the Metropolitan Opera: As the deadline draws near for negotiating a new agreement that, if successful, will sustain the Metropolitan Opera for years to come, we are struck by how little of what is being said and written about the members of the IATSE reflects a true understanding of how much those of us working behind the curtain love this great art form and how deeply committed we are to its perpetuation.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I wasn't sure about reading this at first, because although it concerns me that opera is struggling so much in the current cultural climate, it also isn't a form of performance art that has particularly drawn my interest (although I have been told that there are amazing design opportunities in opera and have seen pictures of some pretty magnificent work). I am so glad I ended up choosing to read this though, because I think it covers some important topics that could be a valuable focus for anyone interested in any discipline in the performing arts. The first thing this letter effectively portrays is the "family" that exists between those who work for the Met Opera. Loeb's examples of how hard these people work and what a huge priority their jobs at the Met are really demonstrate the type of environment that I think many theatre artists would like to work in. It also provides creative examples of ways one can turn a problem into an educational experience, in Loeb's explanation of the fixing of one of their projectors. Being able to take something that was going to cost the company a lot of money and ultimately being able to reduce the price of repairs and turn it into a class is so resourceful.