The Toughest Show on Earth: My Rise and Reign at the Metropolitan Opera

by Joseph Volpe

A fascinating, anecdote-filled behind-the-scenes look at more than forty years of the highlights, successes, and day-to-day inner workings—all about productions, the divas, and backstage dramas—of New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, by Joseph Volpe, the only general manager to have risen through the ranks.

This book is the story of Volpe’s years leading up to those at the Met, from his first job as a stagehand at the Morosco Theater to the odd jobs he picked up moonlighting: setting up a searchlight or laying down a red carpet for a movie premiere, changing titles on the marquees at the Astor, Victor, and Paramount theaters. It is his Met years—from apprentice carpenter to general manager—that give us a story about New York and the business of culture. Volpe looks at the Met today, an institution full of vast egos and complicated politics, as well as its glittering past—the old Met at Thirty-ninth and Broadway, and the political and artistic intrigues that exploded around its move to Lincoln Center. With stunning candor, he writes about the general managers he worked under, including Rudolf Bing and Anthony Bliss; his own embattled rise to the top; the maneuverings of the blue-chip board; his bad-cop, good-cop collaboration with the conductor James Levine; and his masterful approach to making a family of such highly charged artist-stars as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Teresa Stratas, and Renée Fleming, and such visionary directors as Franco Zeffirelli, Robert Wilson, and Julie Taymor.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, New York

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2006

Reviews

[N. N. Santiago]

Dishes dirt, names names.

[Kristen]

Joseph Volpe almost persuades me to buy a ticket to the opera.

His memoir recounts his rise from crack backstage carpenter to general manager of the Met. Along the way, his long hours ruined two marriages and his blunt manner (by his account) saved the beloved New York institution from union fights and out-of-control divas.

Since the Met is not real handy to me right now, I'd have to check out local opera. Somehow I doubt that I'd see the same elaborate, big-budget scenery that Volpe's directors put on the stage:

"Twelve Indonesian birds and seven pear puppets, carried by twenty running puppeteers, had to com and go during arias and duets. . . . A Las Vegas chorus of bird-headed showgirls on stilts had to peck and prance around Papageno as he fantasized about finding himself a girlfriend."

I also doubt my local opera offers running subtitles on little monitors mounted on the back of the chairs, another Volpe innovation. My, my, how that would enhance the show.

I guess I'll just make do with Volpe's book, in which he reveals which singers are the flakiest and flightiest. Is it the sopranos? The tenors? The basses? Read and find out.

He also vows that opera stars can come from anywhere, citing the case of one Charles Taylor, who was once a farmhand in Arizona, and a meth addict to boot. Let this be a lesson to those of us who have not yet reached our dreams.

[Max]

I found this book in a bin and wanted to see if it was as interesting as it looked. This book is at its best when Volpe delves into his life story and the history and technical details of the running of the Met, and at it's worst when he talks about being friends with Rudy Giuliani or says anything about women.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is because Volpe started out as a carpenter and worked for years as the master carpenter of the Met, a lot of his focus when describing operas is on their staging and sets and how it all fits together as a piece of stagecraft. He appreciates the story and the singing as well, but you can really see the depth of his knowledge when he talks about how sets fit together and what they say about a production.

Volpe's clear love of the subject made me want to check out some operas.

[Gaelen McCormick]

Some elements really hooked me, like stories about his work as a carpenter, and then as a leader and then working into the administrative leadership. Other parts I lost over because they were not as meaningful to me. Having said that, this book has a lot of different readers in mind. Now that I work in arts administration and nonprofit leadership, one chapter near the end was incredibly important to me. That was when he discussed the financial breakdown of the many elements that fund the opera, and the many constituents working on the Lincoln Center, Plaza redevelopment. That type of politics, fundraising, and leadership was just fascinating to me!

[Bethany]

A very enjoyable insider's view into the working of the Met, from politics in culture to artists' drama to backstage to administrative decision-making. Was interesting to see the inner workings of the "other side", being a musician myself. A great read for opera and classical music lovers as well as for the general public who is interested in a story of the American dream come true, where passion, vision, and grit collide.

[Joan]

I feel like I could kind of identity with the journey of the author from master Carpenter to director of the metropolitan Opera because I've been involved in theaters and helped take down sets before. I've also seen some Opera simulcasts. I liked all the stories he had of working there and especially liked when he included Opera lovers contributions to the met. Even if it does sound a little crazy working there, you really love it if you do get the chance to do that kind of work.

[Elizabeth]

I really enjoyed this book. I knew little about Joseph Volpe, but I selected the book because I wanted to learn more about the workings of the Metropolitan Opera. The book was well written (Volpe had help from a guy named Charles Michener) and well organized. I liked how Volpe worked his way up in the Met's ranks and new about this huge company from so many angles. It was really worth my time.

[Rhino75]

I thoroughly enjoyed this, notably the bits where he dishes the dirt on some big names, but can see how it might be a bit dry for anyone who’s not already acquainted to some extent with the opera world, hence the lower rating. But if you’re an opera buff, it’s a terrific read!

[John Norton]

Tremendous read full of drama and pathos but every bit of it real and full of interest ....

[Helynne]

Joseph Volpe, the Italian-American manager of the Metropolitan Opera for the last decades of the 20th-century, writers a wonderfully entertaining saga of his career that involved putting a new opera on every night (!) during the long months of each opera season. As an opera fan from a much smaller city, who is used to the idea that one opera runs for several nights in a row, then moves on, I was astounded that I took so much for granted the phenomenon that is the Met. The house must prepare for several operas all in one week. Sets must be moved out and new ones moved in on a daily basis, costumes must be constantly organized and coordinated, and, of course, some of the most talented, but also, tempermental, singers in the world, must be pampered and appeased. Volpe (the name means "fox" in Italian, and at times, he had to be that cunning and sly) tells a great tale of the ups and downs of the opera world. Some of his most entertaining chapters are about certain singers who are charming, but difficult, gifted, but demanding, adored by the public, but a giant pain in his rear. This is great fun, and you'll certainly walk away with a whole new appreciation for an entertainment genre that has it all--music, dance, drama, costumes, sets, and prima donnas!

[Jane]

I am NOT an opera fan but I thoroughly enjoyed this perspective on running one of the most complex organizations in the world. Must reading for anyone interested in the arts. For my Caltex friends you'll enjoy this quote:
In 1940, Texaco - the Met's most generous corporate donor - became the sponsor of the Saturday broadcasts, to clean up their image after it was revealed that it had sold oil to Hitler. Today, corporate support of the arts - which used to be inspired by a sense of corporate citizenship - is now largely a marketing decision. When Texaco was swallowed up by Chevron in 2001, the new oil giant had no interest in boosting its image among the opera crowd.
As a personal note they also had no interest in boosting its image to NASCAR and IndyCar fans. They also pulled out of racing - a loss I felt much more than Saturday at the Met.

[Boyd]

Self-serving as could be, but still fascinating and funny. Volpe really is a classic unreliable narrator--as the narrative progressed, I was doing more and more second-guessing of his account--but who cares? The guy is a real-life Horatio Alger, and it's hugely amusing to imagine him operating in the rarified world of a great opera house. He dishes dirt on what appears to be just about everybody he ever came in contact with, and even includes a very surprising photo of Karita Mattila stark naked in *Salome*--this after congratulating himself for protecting her from a New York Times photographer who was going after the very same thing. It's amazing that no one put a contract out on him after the book was published.

[Melissa]

It's an interesting insider's view of the Met. Joe Volpe loves telling you how amazing Joe Volpe is but once you get used to his "version" of events, it really is a fun read. He is happy to dish the dirt about everyone, and while it's clearly a biased perspective, there's probably a lot of truth in it. You can't help but root for him a little bit - he's clearly the David to the Met's Goliath - he does prevail as general manager and has a good long ride. As George Bush would say, only time will tell how his legacy is perceived.

[Diana]

Being an opera fanatic this was a very satisfying book to read. The Met is its own world and Joseph Volpe covers pretty much anything I'd want to know about what goes on in it, from the singers to the business, the directors and the chorus. It definitely gave me major insight into the thing I love most in the world, some of it pretty and some of it not, but ALL of it fascinating.

[Laura]

There was some interesting facts and history regarding the Met. And I do enjoy opera, however there were way too many names (name dropping), for me to really enjoy this book. I will say that I was impressed with his writing style and it is a very inspiring book about how real, old fashioned hard work and dedication for something you love can truly be rewarding.

[Kaethe]

I read this book for work, but it's a really interesting first-hand account of Joe Volpe, who worked as the GM for the Metropolitan Opera for over 16 years (with over 30 years at the Met)... read if you're interested in what goes on behind the scenes of an opera house or performing arts facility.

[Davidberlin]

Points to score, points to settle... not a very likeable man and ultimately as reactionary and conservative as the institution he presided over.

[Ro]

Interesting to hear Vole's views in the dramatic world of the Metropolitan Opera House!

[Margaret Tyler]

Must read for anyone interested in the operatic world.