"There was always the possibility that we would have to be dark for some or all of the '08-09 season," [City Opera chairman Susan] Baker said Thursday. "We're only part of the way through the process, which we're going to try to move along as soon as possible."

She said the opera's board will discuss the matter when it meets next week but probably would not make a decision then.

"At the moment, our thinking is that if we have to be dark in the State Theater for part of the '08-09 performance season, what we would do is have some non-traditional season in other venues," she said.