I don't think there's nearly enough press attention being paid to the Met Opera scandal for hugely impactful as it has the potential to be.
For those who missed it, James Levine -- music prodigy, acclaimed conductor, music director 1976–2016; artistic director 1986–2004; music director emeritus 2016–present -- had a scandal break involving abuse of a 15yo boy.
Except if you had any serious New York classical music scene people on your TL, you saw them *freaking the hell out* because they knew how huge the story was.
There were lots and lots and lots and lots of rumors about Levine and boys, but nobody knew anything actionable because nobody knew any victims.
Because the people who did know were either paid off, or doing the paying off. Click on Tony Wendice's thread, here.
There's a break in the thread, but this particular bit stunned me: he was allegedly *banned from visiting whole countries in Europe?!*
wait what
and WHAT
The part that gets me: the payouts. Because the Met is different from, say, the Weinstein company.
The Met gets taxpayer dollars.
A *lot* of taxpayer dollars.
The Met gets taxpayer dollars.
A *lot* of taxpayer dollars.
According to Wikipedia, the Met's budget for the 2011-12 season was $325 million, and $182 million of that was private donations. Leaving...
*counts on fingers*
YIKES.
*counts on fingers*
YIKES.
Basically, there's no way anybody in a position of power at the Met during his tenure didn't know, and if the payouts were at "millions of dollars" *twenty years ago...*
Call me crazy, but I think politicians are going to want to know *exactly* how much hush money the Met got taxpayers to foot the bill for.
And what's that going to do to the Met's taxpayer and private donation base?
And what in turn will that do to opera in New York?
Anyway, that's why I think this story isn't getting enough attention for what it is. Opera's a small pond, and this is a depth charge.
As my pal @saraht_74 points out, the Met's taxpayer dependence isn't THAT bad: it make up most of the difference between donations and private funds with ticket and ancillary sales. So how will donors and ticket-holders react?
