Sir Antonio dismisses the Met in language New Yorkers can (nearly) understand…

‘Pappano said rumours he was set to replace James Levine at the helm of the Metropolitan Opera were “complete bollocks”.’

An uncharacteristically inspired final sentence in the press spiel from the Royal Opera House Guardian‘s Charlotte Higgins today.

Far more importantly, Kasper Holten is finally asserting his control over Covent Garden, and has scheduled a raft of performances of contemporary works for the coming decade. 2020 sees a four-part sequence from starry quartet of Kaija Saariaho, Jörg Widmann (excitingly), Mark-Anthony Turnage (less excitingly, if reports of Anna Nicole are anything to go by), and Luca Francesconi. Wondrously, the operas will be answers to questions set by noted philosopher, staunch Wagnerian, and all-round good lad, Slavoj Žižek.

Probably best to stay there, Sir Antonio. Hiring someone like Žižek – a kind of post-Marxist provocateur – ain’t Peter Gelb’s style.