Finnish soprano Karita Mattila said to earn USD 15,000 a performance in New York

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The highest fees paid to artists at the Metropolitan Opera in New York thisa season are USD 15,000 for a performance (around EUR 11,000). Director Stewart Pearce told Helsingin Sanomat that fees at this level are paid to 25 singers and five conductors.
      Surely Karita Mattila, the Met's celebrated star soprano, who has in recent years been performing in leading roles in Fidelio, Salome and Katya Kabanová, must be among them?
      "Of course", says Pearce. There are five performances of Kabanová this season, and the last of them will be on New Year’s Day.
      The sum of USD 15,000 for a performance is also paid out to five conductors, for example Artistic Director James Levine and visiting conductor Valeri Gergiyev.
     
"It is not a large amount of money", claims Pearce. After all, stars do rehearse their roles for months.
      "The salaries are a lot higher in Vienna, Berlin, and London. Even in the U.S.A., the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Opera of San Francisco pay a thousand dollars more for each performance."
      A part of the USD 15,000 fee consists of tax-free daily allowances and travel costs, and a small additional compensation is paid for dress rehearsals. However, the difference between the Met and the best operas in Europe has grown large, particularly as the dollar has weakened as much as 40 percent compared with the euro.
      "All the same, the singers come as James Levine is the Artistic Director, as this is the Met, this is New York, and as radio broadcasts, DVDs and other important stuff happen here", notes Pearce.
     
Radio broadcasts are in the balance at the moment, but you can still hear them. For example, the Finnish Broadcasting Company's Radio 1 will be sending a live performance of Kabanová on Christmas Day. Karita Mattila and Jorma Silvasti will be performing in the leading roles again.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Karita Mattila is most successful Finnish artist in sales of classical music (1.9.2004)
  Moments to savour as Karita Mattila makes a long-overdue appearance at the National Opera (10.2.2000)

Links:
  Ondine: Karita Mattila

Helsingin Sanomat