Akkurt Volkan / New York City / Opera

New York City Opera leaving Lincoln Center, searching for smaller venue

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/dirge_at_nyc_opera_fHsf7PWpSjA1DnAXLmMJ9M#ixzz1N33gTolVhttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/21/arts/music/new-york-city-opera-plans-to-leave-lincoln-center.html

She's still singing, but the fat lady is officially homeless.
The famed New York City Opera -- home to some of history's greatest singing superstars, such as Beverly Sills and Placido Domingo -- is leaving Lincoln Center, its venue for the past 45 years, officials said last night.
"We simply can't afford it," artistic director and general manager George Steel told The Wall Street Journal.
The opera company -- facing its swan song if it can't stabilize tanking finances -- is now pounding the mean streets in search of a smaller venue, out of t

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he shadow of its Lincoln Center neighbor, the Metropolitan Opera.

"We're the people's opera," Steel told the Journal -- a reference to the description once given to the 68-year-old institution by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia.
"We want to be out in the city where the people are."
Unfortunately, not enough of the people are showing up. On good nights only around 40 percent of the seats are filled for performances.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/dirge_at_nyc_opera_fHsf7PWpSjA1DnAXLmMJ9M#ixzz1N33bap7C