Despite Bankruptcy, City Opera Performers Celebrate 70th Anniversary

The repertoire for a concert celebrating “70 years of The People’s Opera,” an event to honor City Opera’s anniversary, was announced Thursday—even though City Opera has canceled its season, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and is likely to liquidate completely.

“Despite the fact that the Board of New York City Opera filed for bankruptcy protection last October, the cohesive ‘City Opera Family,’ the storied company’s orchestral musicians and singers, did not want the auspicious 70th Anniversary to pass without a celebration,” the company musician’s union said in a press release.

The event is being produced by the union that represents the performers—American Federation of Musician’s Local 802—and is scheduled for Feb. 21 at New York’s City Center, which was also the location of City Opera’s first performance, union spokesman K.C. Boyle said Thursday. The concert will include pieces from City Opera’s first season in 1944, when Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia gave it the “People’s Opera” moniker.

This is the only reunion performance currently planned, but Mr. Boyle said the door is open for other similar performances in the future.

Meanwhile, New York City Opera’s Chapter 11 case is continuing. Most recently, the opera has requested permission to reject the lease agreement for its thrift store located at 220 E. 23rd St. in New York.

City Opera had hoped to find a buyer for the thrift shop, which it’s operated for 25 years, but has been unable to reach an agreement. It’s planning to liquidate the shop, including the inventory.

Judge Sean Lane of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan is scheduled to hear the request on Feb. 13.

Write to Stephanie Gleason at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @StephGleason.