NEW YORK - New York City Opera is eliminating its regular season for 2008-9 while renovations are made to Lincoln Center's New York State Theater, instead presenting several concert performances. City Opera will return to the State Theater in 2009-10, its first season under incoming general manager Gerard Mortier. To preview that season, the 2008-9 offerings will include a 90-minute concert presentation with selections from Pierre Boulez, Britten, Debussy, Ives, Messiaen and Stravinsky, whose "harmonic language" will figure in the 2009-10 repertory. The company plans to announce specifics of next season's schedule in May.
In addition, City Opera said it's attempting to obtain underwriting to make audio recordings of several American operas in Mortier's first season, among them "Antony and Cleopatra," Richard Danielpour's "Margaret Garner" and Charles Wuorinen's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories."
The renovation of the State Theater, which is shared by the opera company and New York City Ballet, will include a larger and movable orchestra pit. The company said it will need five months for construction.