Peter Gelb Biography and Photos
Peter Gelb (born 1953) is an American arts administrator. He is currently General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Gelb is the son of Arthur Gelb and Barbara Gelb. Arthur is a former Managing Editor of The New York Times.
While in high school, Gelb began his association with the Metropolitan Opera as a part-time usher. Having started in the arts management world at 17 as office boy to Sol Hurok, Gelb himself became manager of Vladimir Horowitz during the last phase of Horowitz's career. In 1978 he began as publicity director for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Gelb joined Ronald Wilford's Columbia Artists Management (CAMI) organization in 1981, making short films about classical musicians. Back at the Metropolitan Opera, he served as executive producer of the "The Metropolitan Presents", the Met's series of televised opera broadcasts, for six years starting in 1988
While in high school, Gelb began his association with the Metropolitan Opera as a part-time usher. Having started in the arts management world at 17 as office boy to Sol Hurok, Gelb himself became manager of Vladimir Horowitz during the last phase of Horowitz's career. In 1978 he began as publicity director for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Gelb joined Ronald Wilford's Columbia Artists Management (CAMI) organization in 1981, making short films about classical musicians. Back at the Metropolitan Opera, he served as executive producer of the "The Metropolitan Presents", the Met's series of televised opera broadcasts, for six years starting in 1988
Gelb became the new General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, taking over from Joseph Volpe, on August 1, 2006. In statements of his intentions, he has emphasized that, even after 35 years as music director of the Met, James Levine will be welcome to continue "for as long as he wants".
Since his tenure began in 2006, the Met has enjoyed greatly improved ticket sales. Hit new productions of Madama Butterfly directed by Anthony Minghella; The Barber of Seville by Bartlett Sher; and Tan Dun's new opera The First Emperor directed by Zhang Yimou have sold out their entire runs.
Additionally, the Met has become the first art institution in the world to offer live high definition broadcasts of its operas to movie theaters in many countries of the world, allowing viewings of a stunning live opera performance in a cinema or, later, on public broadcasting's high definition television channels. Given a year's overlap from the time of his appointment to when he took over from Volpe, Gelb was able to plan for these presentations well in advance.
Gelb has also asserted the importance of his combining the roles of financial and general management with that of being overall creative director. He plans to stage more productions each year but perhaps, in an era of computer-generated visual effects, needs not to have "tons of scenery" built and retained for each new production. These are among other plans for drawing in new (and younger) audiences without deterring the older opera lovers, the wealth and patronage of some of whom sustains the most lavishly privately-financed opera house in the world.
Other ideas include an annual "family-oriented" presentation at Christmas time, and collaborations with the Vivian Beaumont Theater of Lincoln Center to develop newer musical works with musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Rachel Portman and Rufus Wainwright[4]. Gelb has announced a commission for a new opera from Osvaldo Golijov, tentatively scheduled for the 2010-2011 season
Since his tenure began in 2006, the Met has enjoyed greatly improved ticket sales. Hit new productions of Madama Butterfly directed by Anthony Minghella; The Barber of Seville by Bartlett Sher; and Tan Dun's new opera The First Emperor directed by Zhang Yimou have sold out their entire runs.
Additionally, the Met has become the first art institution in the world to offer live high definition broadcasts of its operas to movie theaters in many countries of the world, allowing viewings of a stunning live opera performance in a cinema or, later, on public broadcasting's high definition television channels. Given a year's overlap from the time of his appointment to when he took over from Volpe, Gelb was able to plan for these presentations well in advance.
Gelb has also asserted the importance of his combining the roles of financial and general management with that of being overall creative director. He plans to stage more productions each year but perhaps, in an era of computer-generated visual effects, needs not to have "tons of scenery" built and retained for each new production. These are among other plans for drawing in new (and younger) audiences without deterring the older opera lovers, the wealth and patronage of some of whom sustains the most lavishly privately-financed opera house in the world.
Other ideas include an annual "family-oriented" presentation at Christmas time, and collaborations with the Vivian Beaumont Theater of Lincoln Center to develop newer musical works with musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Rachel Portman and Rufus Wainwright[4]. Gelb has announced a commission for a new opera from Osvaldo Golijov, tentatively scheduled for the 2010-2011 season
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