On the eve of her recital at La Scala, Angela Gheorghiu told the Corriere della Sera what she thinks of Alexander Pereira.
I can't imagine why he's done something so bizarre, naive, frankly incomprehensible. On the other hand all opera singers know him as a businessman, nothing more… certainly not an artistic director.
As usual, La Gheorghiu pulls no punches.
For me he's always been strange. After more than twenty years in this business he is the only artistic director who walks past me without saying hello.
She gave the interview before yesterday's announcement that Pereira would only be offered a contract for one season.
It's a pity, with Lissner I could have done something during the coming years, but I don't think [Pereira] will be much good for the theatre, even if La Scala needs something of a revolution.
In Italy I've always felt loved by the audiences, but I'm always worried by you journalists, and many colleagues are afraid of what might happen during a performance.
Here she's referring to the infamous booers in the gods, the loggionisti!
I think La Scala needs an Italian director, why always look abroad? It needs an Italian who knows his job, and up to date with the best productions around today. And someone who can teach good manners to his staff: you know the last time, leaving La Scala wearing an Indian sari, the porter asked me who I was. Abroad, all a theatre's employees know the photos of the great artists. They know who you are, and stand up to salute you… as they should!
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
