Four Women Conductors Break Glass Ceiling at Metropolitan Opera in One Week

In Tuesday’s (5/7) Associated Press, Ronald Blum writes, “Just four women had led the orchestra from 1883 through 2016, but four took the baton in a landmark week from April 19-26…. Oksana Lyniv led Puccini’s Turandot on April 19, and Speranza Scappucci conducted Puccini’s La Rondine the following day. Marin Alsop was in the pit for the Met premiere of John Adams’ El Niño on April 23, and Xian Zhang helmed Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on April 26…. When Susanna Mälkki made her Met debut in 2016, she became just the fourth female conductor in the company’s 133-year history The total has risen to 14 women … ‘There’s been a deliberate effort by major companies to create more opportunities for female conductors and I think it was overdue,’ [Met General Manager Peter] Gelb said…. A specific event … put a spotlight on the lack of equity in hiring. ‘Because of MeToo,’ Alsop said of the social movement that began in 2017. ‘It’s not as though everyone became enlightened suddenly. It had to get instigated. It had to catch fire. It’s no good to have one [woman conductor]. You have to have a plethora.’ ”