Paw Prints Anecdotes: Sir Rudolf Bing

Sir Rudolf Bing
(1902–1997)

Anecdote 1...

In Sir Rudolf Bing's 5000 Nights at the Opera there is a photograph of the author sitting all alone in the old Metropolitan Opera House, a solitary figure in a sea of empty seats. On seeing this picture his brother commented, "No wonder you have a deficit."

View the photo here.

Quote-worthy...

The opera always loses money. That's as it should be. Opera has no business making money. —Rudolf Bing

Anecdote 2...

When Bing cancelled Maria Callas's contract with the Metropolitan Opera, in 1958, he engaged Leonie Rysanek to sing Lady Macbeth in Verdi's opera. He was fearful, however, that the audience, resenting the absence of Callas, would give Rysanek a hostile reception. He therefore hired someone to shout "Brava, Callas," as Rysanek made her first entrance. As he had guessed, the Met audience rallied to the stand-in, and the performance was a great success.

Biographical Note...

Austrian-born opera administrator. He was manager of the Glyndebourne Festival Operat (1935-39, 1946-49), artistic manager of the Edinburgh Festival (1947-49), and general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, New York (1950-72).

More Information...

More images of Sir Rudolf Bing. Read a memorable moment related by photographer Paul Seligman.

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