The Slovak National Opera is not blessed with success. To the contrary; it is haunted with resignations, sloppiness and incompetent management(s). Indeed managements - in plural! Ever since I have arrived in Slovakia (only in 2006), the opera has had 4 managers [sic]. Breath deeply and calm down. Yes, you calculated right, 3 years with 4 managers. Not that health reasons overtook the abilities of the said people, or that they reached retirement age. Simply, the general manager of the Slovak National Theatre (under which the State Opera falls) seemed to have an unusual craving for changing her staff a bit. Last week, all of a sudden the new manager (only to accept his job in May) resigned together with the director and chief-conductor. This was an act mutiny at its best.
It shall not be my intention to reiterate what I have written earlier in my blog on earlier decisions and management styles within the SNT/SO, but this development is too grave to let it pass without a comment. In all honesty, because of these former developments, I have somehow completely lost interest in this Opera house. Yet the news of the threesome demise caused a kind of "Andropov-Chernenko"-reaction in me. Perhaps you remember, Andropov who took over from Brezhnev suddenly died a year after in office. The joke went that watching the state funeral (first B. then A.) that people were a bit disappointed, and wouldn't plan to attend next year's funeral. How we laughed about this wry "wishful" thinking... until it indeed happened!
The fact that the SO-manager Mr Smolík's decision was taken so soon (just about 3 months) was indeed a blow of shock. While doing some correspondence, I saw my twitter-bar message appearing and was practically nailed to the ground.
Mr. Smolík was hailed in as the new manager by Ms. Hroncová, as he has shown the best worked out concept for the future of the Opera. It must be said, that at least Mr. Smolík has gotten this post through a public selection procedure - contrary to the previous selections, who were personally hand picked by Ms. Hroncová, which was, to say the least, not according to legal regulations regarding functions in public offices. This, obviously, causing much controversy in the first place.
So the first open procedure was finalised, and Ms. Hroncová fully supported (although, so she did in the previous instances) Mr. Smolík's plans - concepts - experience - know-how and you name it. Why then, the sudden run away? Even the more, Mr Smolík has worked with the Opera all the time before, so one would expect that even on a person-to-person basis, both parties knew eachother, knew what to expect...
The following day, Ms. Hroncová stepped down. In a press conference, she proclaimed what good intentions she had with the SNT (to raise it to a European level), which in some extent could have been true. Yet, there is a slight difference about one's envisioned goals and how to implement it.
True, in some fairness I need to mention that some voices aired that many within the Opera are still having a background from the totalitarian regime. That especially such conservative camps were opposing to her innovative style. In my view, Ms Hroncová's style was far from innovative, and equally imperious as the old regime was - and as mentioned, even trespassing even regulations. Even, when the truth is somewhere in the middle, the (general)manager has a managerial role and managerial responsibilities. Failing communication, transparency, and some counterproductive decisions were not exactly a good example of skilled management. So far a manager's opinion.
Mr. Smolík - after Ms. Hroncová's resignation - agreed to return temporarily to the Opera. Time will now tell, whether he can pull the Opera out of the bog. It is a trend to be seen even in the Slovak Radio, Slovak Television. Just one big drama. Let's see what's next.
MS
It shall not be my intention to reiterate what I have written earlier in my blog on earlier decisions and management styles within the SNT/SO, but this development is too grave to let it pass without a comment. In all honesty, because of these former developments, I have somehow completely lost interest in this Opera house. Yet the news of the threesome demise caused a kind of "Andropov-Chernenko"-reaction in me. Perhaps you remember, Andropov who took over from Brezhnev suddenly died a year after in office. The joke went that watching the state funeral (first B. then A.) that people were a bit disappointed, and wouldn't plan to attend next year's funeral. How we laughed about this wry "wishful" thinking... until it indeed happened!
The fact that the SO-manager Mr Smolík's decision was taken so soon (just about 3 months) was indeed a blow of shock. While doing some correspondence, I saw my twitter-bar message appearing and was practically nailed to the ground.
Mr. Smolík was hailed in as the new manager by Ms. Hroncová, as he has shown the best worked out concept for the future of the Opera. It must be said, that at least Mr. Smolík has gotten this post through a public selection procedure - contrary to the previous selections, who were personally hand picked by Ms. Hroncová, which was, to say the least, not according to legal regulations regarding functions in public offices. This, obviously, causing much controversy in the first place.
So the first open procedure was finalised, and Ms. Hroncová fully supported (although, so she did in the previous instances) Mr. Smolík's plans - concepts - experience - know-how and you name it. Why then, the sudden run away? Even the more, Mr Smolík has worked with the Opera all the time before, so one would expect that even on a person-to-person basis, both parties knew eachother, knew what to expect...
The following day, Ms. Hroncová stepped down. In a press conference, she proclaimed what good intentions she had with the SNT (to raise it to a European level), which in some extent could have been true. Yet, there is a slight difference about one's envisioned goals and how to implement it.
True, in some fairness I need to mention that some voices aired that many within the Opera are still having a background from the totalitarian regime. That especially such conservative camps were opposing to her innovative style. In my view, Ms Hroncová's style was far from innovative, and equally imperious as the old regime was - and as mentioned, even trespassing even regulations. Even, when the truth is somewhere in the middle, the (general)manager has a managerial role and managerial responsibilities. Failing communication, transparency, and some counterproductive decisions were not exactly a good example of skilled management. So far a manager's opinion.
Mr. Smolík - after Ms. Hroncová's resignation - agreed to return temporarily to the Opera. Time will now tell, whether he can pull the Opera out of the bog. It is a trend to be seen even in the Slovak Radio, Slovak Television. Just one big drama. Let's see what's next.
MS
No comments:
Post a Comment