Italy's Classic Voice magazine has published a list of the current maximum fees paid by the Italian opera houses, and, surprisingly – though according to many singers I know, not surprisingly – the length of time that some artists have to wait to receive their payment.
€30,000 is currently the top for conductors such as Barenboim, Chailly, Whun Chung, Dudamel, Gatti, Harding, Mehta, Muti, Rattle and Thielemann. The same sum can go to soloists Pollini, Lang Lang, Radu Lupu, Kavakos and Sokolov.
The sum drops for the singers with a top of €20,000 for a concert and €17,000 for an opera performance going to Bartoli, Domingo, Fleming, Garanča, Kaufmann and Florez.
Directors receive up to €60,000 for a new production and the top names include Carsen, Bieito, Stein, Wilson, Vick and Michieletto.
However, some may have to wait to receive their cheque. If you are lucky enough to work at Teatro alla Scala, Santa Cecilia in Rome, La Fenice in Venice or the Teatro Massimo in Palermo you'll get paid quickly. Working for other Italian theatres means that it may be necessary to wait months or years for your cachet: in Genoa about a year, in Florence nine months, at Rome between seven and nine months, two or three months in Bologna but, if you happen to have signed-up to a production in Cagliari you will have to wait… wait… wait for it… THREE years!
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.
Are these numbers per performance and per rehearsal or per run of the opera?
These sums are per performance. Usually rehearsals are covered by ‘living’ costs (hotel, restaurant expenses) and so the true money earned is with the performances. If you do all the rehearsals and then fall ill you receive nothing.
Yes, from experience, Cagliari takes years and sometimes you have to fight to get the full payment. Both orchestras in Milan take about 18 months to pay. Naples San Carlo about 12 months. Verona about 6 months. Singers, soloists and conductors usually have to pre-pay accommodation and travel to be re-imbursed by the theatres. But, you also have to wait for this money. You can be without money for a long time! Most conductors and soloists do not get near the money you say in this article. This is more than 25x what most people receive.
While Bartoli can afford to wait I’m sure it must be a disadvantage for some. And apart form that… it’s not right!
A colleague has just turned down a juicy role in the south of Italy because she’s afraid that she won’t get paid at ALL. She’d read reports about the budget crises the theater’s having and thought she’d be better off earning less elsewhere. Wise girl.
Wise woman, wouldn’t you say? Unless of course, she is twelve years old, then girl would be the correct term.
Nitpicking… but the word was chosen for a purpose. Although she is certainly no longer a girl, she’s always using comments such as, “Come on girl, get your act together!” Now many will be able to guess who I’m talking about.
Is it nitpicking? I am sure if it was a male singer who referred to himself as “come on boy, get your act together!” no one would be saying “wise boy”.
Lol! So right!
Can you possibly post a link to the full article? I was scanning the Classic Voice site & didn’t find it, would love to read it.
Dear Tess, the article isn’t on-line but in the print edition (though I believe you can subscribe on-line and receive a digital edition). Sorry I can’t be more helpful…