Would you, for Woody Allen?
Matthew Heil
Public Relations Manager
Public Relations Manager
On the lighter side of the job, sometimes I look for interesting news items to share with our staff here about our line of work, whether it be news of other orchestras, or possible programming ideas.... This little item from The Los Angeles Times involving Woody Allen falls into the latter category--sort of. I'm curious if a similar star turn at the podium of The Phoenix Symphony would draw applause, or puzzlement! Maybe in 2008-09!
2 Comments:
Your article is misleading. Woody Allen is not conducting the LA Opera! He is "directing" a production of a Puccini one-act comic opera. He presumably gets to work with the staging and "acting" of the singers. Since the music and lyrics are untouchable, this should only add to and not detract from the opera.
This is a common trend in opera, especially in LA. Hollywood movie directors have given fresh looks to such operas as Tannhauser and Bluebeard's Castle. Weren't there rumors of a Steven Spielberg or George Lucas special effects ridden Ring Cycle in LA before the Board came to their economic senses?
No, Woody Allen would not be a welcome conductor of the Phoenix Symphony. However, his New Orleans style jazz band would be welcome in Phoenix, more so if they had an orchestra book with them. Can old Woody play the Copland Concerto? How about the Corigliano Concerto?
The way that some of the audience members react to new music, I'm not sure that even ol' Woody could fill the hall for the Corigliano.
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