State Opera & Ballet Theatre head conductor may quit

Tbilisis leading theatre conductor has threatened to resign following a disagreement with the companys recently appointed artistic director.

Theatre staff complaints about poor working conditions and unfulfilled promises have prompted Gianluca Marciano to think about his future with the Zakaria Paliashvili Tbilisi Opera & Ballet Theatre.  

Marciano, 34, the theatre's musical director and principal conductor, has indicated he may submit a resignation letter to the Ministry of Culture.

He announced news of his possible departure after a meeting with the theatre creative troupe and artistic director, Giorgi Zhordania, yesterday.

"The meeting ended with no results, Marciano told journalists after the meeting.  

"I made a few remarks and presented my conditions deriving from the interest of the theatre and I am waiting for following decision. I have already applied to the Ministry of Culture and if proposed conditions are not satisfied, I will confirm my resignation. Also, I will stop the scheduled activities before the premiere until the Ministry will not respond, he said.

He also mentioned that he wanted to meet with Ministry officials and former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili, who heavily invested in the theatres development through his Cartu Group.

Problems within the Tbilisi Opera & Ballet Theater sparked from a disagreement between the creative troupe and artistic director Giorgi Zhordania, who has been in the role one year. The singers believed Zhordania led the theatre to destruction.  

They claim they received a personal promise from the Culture Minister Guram Odisharia that Zhordania would create sufficient working conditions, attract professional musicians, arrange tours, however the singers believed none of these conditions had been fulfilled.  

The theatre's creative troupe blamed Zhordania for leading the theatre into bankruptcy. Now, the creative troupe have demanded to have the power to elect the artistic director and chief conductor, since they believed those appointed to the roles by the Ministry of Culture were unqualified and unprofessional. They also demanded for Zhordania to resign.  

Zhordania did not comment to the media after yesterdays meeting.  

Marciano is one of the youngest conductors to emerge from Italy in recent years. He made his debut at the English National Opera in 2013, conducting a revival of Anthony Minghellas Madam Butterfly.