Met Cancels “Ghosts” Revival
I’m bummed to learn that the Metropolitan Opera has cancelled its revival of John Corigliano and Bill Hoffman’s 1991 opera, “The Ghosts of Versailles,” which had been scheduled for next season. The inevitable reason was cited: the economy (we’re going to be hearing a lot more of this, so get used to it.) “Ghosts” is costly to produce, no doubt. But here’s what I don’t understand: the Met is saying it still plans to go ahead next season with a whopping eight new productions. I’d be a lot happier with five or six new productions, if it meant “Ghosts” could be retained. It is probably the only new opera the Met has done in the past twenty years that has incited wide appeal. The stars of the “Ghosts” revival — Angela Gheorghiu and Thomas Hampson — will instead appear in “La Traviata.” Less costly, to be sure, but not very exciting.
