Going Rogue

The Canadian Opera Company is usually tight-lipped about its plans beyond the current season. I thought the tradition would continue under Alexander Neef, the diplomatic young German who took over as the Toronto company's general director last year.

Boy, was I wrong. Neef's blog on the COC website is chock full of hints, tips and informal announcements about his agenda for future seasons, including the following...

"He's interested in giving some hints along the way," says COC director of public relations Claudine Domingue, who usually tries to keep the lid on insider tips about the company's plans. "I think he enjoys letting people see a little behind the scenes."

Neef's prolific July entries are sprinkled with names of the eminent singers, directors and talent agents he encounters at lunch or at performances in Paris and London. The name-dropping is often followed by a more or less direct statement of that person's role in future COC seasons.

For Monday, how artist Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and blogs can cause more trouble than they're worth. As I like to say to one of my clients when we're in public places and spaces, "Lock it down!"