Just a couple of weeks since Opera Australia’s Artistic Director got into a very public online scrap with the Head of Music at the National University of Australia, Lyndon Terracini may find some consolation in knowing he’s not the only Opera company director with a PR problem on his hands.

Despite its impressive audience attendance figures, the Vienna State Opera has lost two of its star conductors in as many weeks. It now faces an uncertain up-coming season with a significant number of gaps on the podium and what’s worse is that the finger of blame is being pointed squarely at the VSO’s Director, Dominique Meyer.

The departure of their General Music Director, Franz Welser-Möst on September 5, while sudden was not particularly dramatic. The high-profile conductor was relatively discreet, citing irreconcilable differences of opinion regarding the company’s artistic planning and profile which could not be resolved. The subsequent announcement by his colleague Bertrand de Billy – the front runner as successor to Welser-Möst as Musical Director of the Opera – that he would also be leaving the company was far more problematic.

While Welser-Möst avoided making any explicit references to the reasons for his leaving, De Billy has left no...