Scarlet Masque Theatre Journal New Beginnings and Fond Farewells Vol. 1 | Page 52

“After World War I, Kahn realized that a substantial group of well-educated music
lovers who cared nothing about social standing now came to the Met and he
considered their tastes and interests just as valuable as those of the box
holders.” (Fielder, 2003)
Finally, it seemed as though a breath of fresh air would rid the stuffiness of the box
holders and their control of the social climate of the company. Additionally, the Met now
had become a hot-bed for the greatest talents of the day including Benjamin Gigli, Lily
Pons, and Giuseppe De Luca, which furthered the tradition set by Caruso as the Met
being the American showcase for such international talents (Fielder, 2003). Kahn and
Gatti both stepped down in 1931 and 1935 respectively, having launched a new and
vibrant era for the company, despite the financial hardships created by the Great
Depression (Fielder, 2003). Furthering the movement away form elitism, the Met began
to do weekly radio broadcasts of performances, allowing the general public to enjoy the
finest opera of the time and perhaps provided them their first exposure to the art
(Fielder, 2003).
After NYCO filed for bankruptcy in 2013, two groups began a legal feud to
determine which would bring the company back to its feet financially (New York Times,
2015). The groups, NYCO Renaissance and New Vision for NYC Opera respectively,
feuded for roughly two years before the approximately $25 million in claims against City
Opera were taken care of (New York Times, 2015). This marked a potential end to the
financial struggles that had plagued the artistic climate in the city. The arts were so
unprofitable that mayor, Michael Bloomberg, elected not to provide further financial
support to NYCO as it faltered—despite his previous personal financial ties to the
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