'La Forza del Destino' removed from Met Opera lineup next season; Peter Gelb claims cancellation due to 'cost-cutting'

Verdi's "La Forza del Destino" was set to return onstage with a new production in the next season of the Metropolitan Opera. However, the Met Opera's general manager Peter Gelb announced last Friday that the project, supposedly marking the debut of the controversial and daring Spanish director Calixto Bieito, will no longer push through.

As reported by the New York Times, the decision to remove the new "La Forza del Destino" production from the lineup next season is due to financial issues. For the past few years, the Met Opera had to deal with the growing cost of production, as well as some of the projects not performing too well at the box office. To keep up with these issues, the Met Opera had to cut their expenses, and among those who will be affected by this is Mr. Bieito's much-awaited take on a Giuseppe Verdi classic.

Bieito has made his presence felt in the entertainment world with provocative themes and graphic scenes onstage, leaving the operagoers shocked. Even so, Bieito's artistic preferences have nothing to do with the cancellation of the new "La Forza del Destino" production. Gelb revealed that the decision to derail the project from the Met Opera lineup is just a "cost-cutting measure," adding that there are no other artistic reasons behind its cancellation.

The Met manager reiterated that he has nothing to protest against Bieito's capabilities as a director. In fact, the he hopes to see the talented director working for the company in the future.

Gelb also said that by cancelling the "Forza" production, the Met Opera will be able to save up to a million dollars. The company receives around $300 million budget annually, and given its $22 million deficit during the 2013-2014 season, the Met Opera had to balance out the expenses on their next productions.

With "Forza" out of the picture, the Met Opera will only announce five new productions in the coming month. To note, the Met Opera have been presenting at least 6 productions a year since Gelb took over its management.

The Met announced that "La Forza del Destino" will be replaced in the lineup by 4 concerts of Verdi's "Requiem," according to the Washington Post. It will run from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2.

The concert series, led by music director emeritus James Levine, is expected to feature performers that are supposed to be included in the postponed "Forza" production. Some of them include mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk, tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko and bass Ferruccio Furlanetto. Krassimira Stoyanova will take the place of Sondra Radvanovsky as soprano.

Meanwhile, Bieito's manager, Susanne Herrnleben, is reportedly disheartened upon the Met's decision to drop "Forza" from the lineup. In an e-mail sent to the Associated Press, Herrnleben stated that although Bieito declined to comment on the matter, she found to decision to be "cruel and disappointing" as the director already made efforts to make a grand debut in the United States.

TagsForza del Destino, Met Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Met Opera 2017, Metropolitan Opera 2017, Peter Gelb, Calixto Bieito