The big story today is that Opera News, which boasts the largest circulation of any classical music magazine in this country, will no longer review the Metropolitan Opera. Opera News is published by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a support group for the company, so you might think this is about conflict of interest, but no. It’s because the Met’s general manager, Peter Gelb, didn’t like the lambasting the magazine was giving to the company’s widely excoriated new production of Wagner’s Ring cycle.
Click here to read the New York Times article.
I hope that saner minds will prevail.
UPDATE (from Met Opera press release, via Alex Ross):
“In view of the outpouring of reaction from opera fans about the recent decision to discontinue Met performance reviews in Opera News, the Met has decided to reverse this new editorial policy. From their postings on the internet, it is abundantly clear that opera fans would miss reading reviews about the Met in Opera News. Ultimately, the Met is here to serve the opera-loving public and has changed its decision because of the passionate response of the fans.
“The Met and the Met Opera Guild, the publisher of Opera News, have been in discussions about the role of the Guild and how its programs and activities can best fulfill its mission of supporting the Metropolitan Opera. These discussions have included the role of reviews in Opera News, and whether they served that mission. While the Met believed it did not make sense for a house organ that is published by the Guild and financed by the Met to continue to review Met productions, it has become clear that the reviews generate tremendous excitement and interest and will continue to have a place in Opera News.”
Wow, saner minds did prevail. I didn’t know that happened anymore.
Classical Life 
Wouldn’t that be a lot like Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, to ban ABC from reviewing Disney movies because they are part of the same larger organization?
That would be ridiculous, just as Mr.Gelb’s move is.
I haven’t read “Opera News” regularly for many years but I am surprised that they “excoriated” the “Ring”. I have not seen it “live” but only in the HD presentations in theaters. I think it is terrific. I have seen other “Rings” at Seattle in the 70’s, San Francisco in the 90’s and the Kirov when they were in Orange County a few years ago, The Kirov production was the definite low-point. Frankly, the current Met production, not only has spectacular staging but the vocal characterizations by Deborah Voight, Jay Hunter Morris, Bryn Terfel etc. were my first “Ring” where I listened to the singers, rather than merely tolerated them over the orchestral presentation, a narrative in itself..
As I remember “Opera News” reviewed nearly every production, ocurring world-wide using many different critic/writers and so obviously there would be varying viewpoints, but always objective and instructive.
I’m glad the Met saw the light