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György Igric, managing director of Filharmónia Budapest Nonprofit has been mandated to represent Hungary?s National Resources Ministry at the meeting. He is being accompanied by Boton Elekes, cabinet chief for the state secretary for culture, and Filharmónia Budapest manager Ágnes Széll.
?I think it is important for me to hear directly the opinion of the Los Angeles Opera?s management and their plans for this performance,? Igric said after accepting his ministerial commission. ?Many things must be re-negotiated,? he added.
?As for the execution of the performance, the selection of the singers and the style of the performance, the conductor Plácido Domingo will have the final word,? Igric said.
Domingo is the general director of the opera.
Igric said the cost per performance would be higher if the opera was performed just twice, instead of 4-6 times. But one must consider how often a theatre with 3,000 seats can be filled, he added.
Hungary has already budgeted 200 million forints for the production, originally slated to take place in November of this year, but the Los Angeles Opera, has estimated it will cost about 2.3 million dollars or 400 million forints.
State secretary for culture Géza Szőcs expressed his dissatisfaction with the matter in an interview with Origo.hu.
?To speak honestly, I don?t like it that the work will not come to the stage as a repertory piece, but only for a few performances. Neither do I like it that Placido Domingo is not singing in it, but conducting. That?s still a big thing, but he?s known as one of the world?s greatest tenors, not as one of its greatest conductors,? Szőcs said.
