Most colleges and universities constantly seek ways to boost their image and standing in their local communities and beyond.
Besides Metropolitan State College of Denver’s championship basketball teams, one of the best tools the school has had to boost its local, regional and even national profile is its Center for Visual Art.
Much more than the typical academic gallery, which primarily serves students and faculty, this contemporary art space has taken a considerably more ambitious stance, mounting often adventuresome, top-level exhibitions.
Operating in its prominent LoDo location at 1734 Wazee St., the center has become one of the city’s most important art institutions, providing an ideal complement to the Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver.
Indeed, in late December, I named it the art space of the year, noting that the center’s 2004 schedule included three of that year’s most provocative exhibitions.
But all that is in danger, with the Post’s revelation last week that Metro State plans to cut its annual support to the center by $200,000, put it under control of the school’s art department and rethink its location.
Perhaps even worse, the college plans to eliminate Kathy Andrews’ position as director and curator and offer her a lesser position, in which she would teach part time and curate part time.
This is a nasty, undeserved slap in the face to one of the city’s most respected art leaders. Andrews has taken the center to new heights and brought enhanced recognition to Metro State – something it would seem the school would want.
No one denies that this state’s higher-education institutions face severe financial problems, but it makes little sense to pare back one of Metro State’s most successful and visible programs.
This is supposedly being done in the name of returning to the school’s core teaching mission, but what could do more in this regard than exposing the students to some of the world’s best artists and artworks?
In the end, this is all about academic politics. And as is so often the case, the arts always seem to lose out.
Ballet “Alice” undone
When the Colorado Ballet released its 2005-06 season earlier this month, what was missing was an earlier announced world premiere by Christopher Wheeldon, one of the world’s most respected ballet choreographers.
He was expected to create a new adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland,” which would serve as one of the centerpieces of this fall’s opening of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Instead, Colorado Ballet will present a revival of “The Sleeping Beauty.” Martin Fredmann, Colorado Ballet’s artistic director, called Wheeldon’s work “wishful thinking.”
It turns out to be a bit more than that. According to Jane Hermann, who represents Wheeldon for ICM Artists in New York City, Colorado Ballet signed a contract with the choreographer last year to create the work.
About six months ago, she and Wheeldon discovered that the company was unable to raise the $800,000-$1 million it needed for the sets, costumes and other costs surrounding “Alice in Wonderland.”
Unbenownst to Hermann or Wheeldon until they heard about it from another company, Fredmann tried to find other ballet troupes around the country that would want to present the work and share the costs.
But Hermann said Colorado Ballet did not have the legal right to do this under its contract with Wheeldon.
“They thought they had a grant, and the grant fell through,” she said. “We would have tried to accommodate them given that circumstance except they tried to ameliorate the problem by selling off a production they don’t own. That’s not nice.”
Lisa Snider, the company’s interim executive director, called this a misunderstanding. She said it is not unusual for companies to share in the cost of creating a new ballet.
But the bottom line is this: The company was unable to raise the necessary funds to make it a reality. And Hermann said that means the company reneged on its agreement with Wheeldon.
“From a legal point of view, they owe him the whole contract,” she said. “They’re in breach. But if we don’t pursue it, it’s out of the benevolence of Mr. Wheeldon’s consideration for a company that has gotten itself into trouble.”
Fredmann declined to comment. Snider said the company is still in discussions with Wheeldon and is trying to resolve the matter.
“I really don’t think it is appropriate to comment,” she said. “Any time you’re trying to resolve something, you don’t like to resolve it in the press.”
“Rigoletto” update
Even critics have a right to change their mind.
After receiving several persuasive e-mails and talking to other people who attended Opera Colorado’s production of “Rigoletto,” I realize that I missed an important facet of the production.
In moving the action to the present, stage director Thaddeus Strassberger was trying to create the world of the Mafia or some other contemporary gang, with a similar hierarchical structure to royalty.
This approach makes sense within the concept of the opera, but I don’t retract anything I wrote about the clumsiness of the staging or some of the awkward aspects of the set.
“Rigoletto” ends today with a 2 p.m. performance.
Fine arts critic Kyle MacMillan can be reached at 303-820-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com.
