Paris National Opera director Stephane Lissner and Mathieu Gallet attending the Grand Dinner of the Louvre celebrating the Pyramid’s 30th anniversary in Paris November 19, 2019. — Picture by Aurore Marechal/Abacapress.com via Reuters
But his successor Alexander Neef said today he knew nothing of Lissner’s early exit, and cast doubt on whether he would be able to immediately step into his shoes just as the opera faces one of the biggest crises in its 350-year history. But German-born Neef, now head of the Canadian Opera Company , said he might not be able to quit the Toronto-based company early to replace Lissner.
Neef said he was “committed” to helping COC, which he has led since 2008, through the coronavirus crisis — which has pounded the performing arts worldwide — before taking on the Paris job in July.“The COC continues to navigate an extraordinarily challenging time for the performing arts industry and that is where my focus is centred right now,” he added.
Looks like someone didn’t do all that the Phantom asked of him