In Thursday’s (9/17) New York Times, Michael Cooper writes, “Behind-the-scenes tensions at Carnegie Hall erupted into public view on Wednesday after Ronald O. Perelman, the billionaire businessman who became chairman of the Carnegie board this year, sent an email to his fellow trustees accusing the organization’s executive and artistic director, Clive Gillinson, of a ‘troubling lack of transparency’ and criticizing the board for failing to provide ‘appropriate oversight.’ … The conflict came to a head after Mr. Gillinson signed a contract related to the Warner Music Prize, over Mr. Perelman’s objections…. Warner [Classics] is owned by a firm founded by Len Blavatnik, who sits on the Carnegie board.… Mr. Perelman’s concern was apparently not about the prize itself, but about … whether Carnegie had properly vetted the relationship before moving forward…. Mr. Gillinson did not immediately return a call seeking comment, but said in a statement, ‘I have served Carnegie Hall to the best of my abilities for 10 years and am very proud of everything we have achieved together.’ … Perelman wrote that … he was calling a joint meeting of the board’s executive and audit committees on Thursday to take over the inquiry. He also wrote that ‘if we cannot get these issues resolved, I will not stand for re-election as chairman.’ ”
Posted September 17, 2015
Pictured: Ronald O. Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium
