A frightening (parliamentary) report on opera

[Master Jacques]

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/support-for-opera/#fn-35

Horribly revealing, scrupulously disinterested in its even-handed presentation of the facts, an admirably-constructed and presented parliamentary report from the House of Lords Library (published last Tuesday, December 3).

If you weren't deeply concerned about the future of opera in the UK, you will be after reading this. The timeserving Arts Council needs completely restructuring, quite evidently pursuing a populist socio-political rather than artistic agenda.

[Ein Heldenleben]

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/s...r-opera/#fn-35

Horribly revealing, scrupulously disinterested in its even-handed presentation of the facts, an admirably-constructed and presented parliamentary report from the House of Lords Library (published last Tuesday, December 3).

If you weren't deeply concerned about the future of opera in the UK, you will be after reading this. The timeserving Arts Council needs completely restructuring, quite evidently pursuing a populist socio-political rather than artistic agenda.

I’ve written to ACE three times about the ENO and WNO cuts , signed several petitions all to no avail .

In a semi futile act of self -interested protest I’ve upgraded my ROH subscription to Friends Plus. The days of spending £3,000 a year on opera tickets are over not because I consider them poor value ( they are sensational value compared to the West End) but because of the price of London Hotels and an expensive and unreliable rail connection.

Opera in the far South West is all but dead and if WNO goes under it’ll be dead in the West and Wales as well.
Glyndebourne ceased touring years ago, Its almost as if ACE have targeted everything I value and decided to get rid of it. I absolutely loathe them. Yes I’m a privileged middle class etc etc but at 67 still working and paying a tax bill that would keep Covent Garden going for at least half an act of a Mozart Opera .

Meanwhile I shall console myself with a La Boheme rehearsal next week, Jenufa in January and Die Walküre in May not to mention Die Frau Ohne Schatten *from the Met tonight.

WNO did a sensational production of that very opera in the 80’s . Now they’d struggle to get the cash to do Capriccio.

* any ideas as to why the Met matinee top stalls seats today are a ludicrous $420 but next weeks final perf an incredibly reasonable $260? Weird pricing …

[Darkbloom]

Meanwhile I shall console myself with a La Boheme rehearsal next week, Jenufa in January and Die Walküre in May not to mention Die Frau Ohne Schatten *from the Met tonight.

I saw Jenufa last night. I was a bit underwhelmed, although I seemed to be the only one because the applause at the end nearly took the roof off. I saw Uncle Bernie do it 20 years ago and this one didn't quite live up to it. The bit with the Kostelnicka in Act 2 seemed to come and go and barely registered, which takes some doing. I've just heard that Lise Davidsen is pregnant and cancelled all her engagements for the coming year so we're lacking a Sieglinde for Walkure now. And I got an email the other day about Aida saying the Amneris has cancelled too. What is wrong with people these days?

[Ein Heldenleben]

I saw Jenufa last night. I was a bit underwhelmed, although I seemed to be the only one because the applause at the end nearly took the roof off. I saw Uncle Bernie do it 20 years ago and this one didn't quite live up to it. The bit with the Kostelnicka in Act 2 seemed to come and go and barely registered, which takes some doing. I've just heard that Lise Davidsen is pregnant and cancelled all her engagements for the coming year so we're lacking a Sieglinde for Walkure now. And I got an email the other day about Aida saying the Amneris has cancelled too. What is wrong with people these days?

That scene was particularly good at the general and Mattila got a deserved ovation from a pretty knowledgeable audience. Sometimes things don’t fire on the night.
shame about Lise but congratulations to her : babies are more important than a job really .
….as for Amneris having seen the dreadful production I don’t blame her

[Cockney Sparrow]

That scene was particularly good at the general and Mattila got a deserved ovation from a pretty knowledgeable audience. Sometimes things don’t fire on the night.
shame about Lise but congratulations to her : babies are more important than a job really .
….as for Amneris having seen the dreadful production I don’t blame her

Comment I've seen on a US site about the vocalist nla for Aida suggests regrets need not be too strong.....
(And I agree, the production itself isn't up to much (Mrs CS hated it with a passion))

[Ein Heldenleben]

Comment I've seen on a US site about the vocalist nla for Aida suggests regrets need not be too strong.....
(And I agree, the production itself isn't up to much (Mrs CS hated it with a passion))

Mrs H wrote a letter of protest to Olly Mears !

[Ein Heldenleben]

I saw Jenufa last night. I was a bit underwhelmed, although I seemed to be the only one because the applause at the end nearly took the roof off. I saw Uncle Bernie do it 20 years ago and this one didn't quite live up to it. The bit with the Kostelnicka in Act 2 seemed to come and go and barely registered, which takes some doing. I've just heard that Lise Davidsen is pregnant and cancelled all her engagements for the coming year so we're lacking a Sieglinde for Walkure now. And I got an email the other day about Aida saying the Amneris has cancelled too. What is wrong with people these days?

Nataliya Romaniw is the sub for Lise. She was excellent in Tosca recently…

[Darkbloom]

That scene was particularly good at the general and Mattila got a deserved ovation from a pretty knowledgeable audience. Sometimes things don’t fire on the night.
shame about Lise but congratulations to her : babies are more important than a job really .
….as for Amneris having seen the dreadful production I don’t blame her

Jenufa was one of those occasions when the reaction was so overwhelmingly positive that I came away wondering if I was just in an unreceptive mood that night. Everyone else seemed to love it, I can't recall an audience being so enthusiastic for a long time. I felt quite left out.

Yes, the reaction to the replacement Sieglinde seems to have been good so that's encouraging news. Having heard Maltman at the Proms recently, and being surprised at how his voice has filled out over the years, I don't have the reservations about him that I previously did about being too lightweight to take it on.

I don't know anything about the Aida production, but I usually go in almost expecting most of them to be underwhelming. I'm going to see Trovatore in March too, I don't know what that's like either.

[oddoneout]

I found this interesting.
Table 1 . Arts Council England regular funding to opera and music theatre organisations, 2015/16 to 2023/24
It would seem that by and large the figure awarded in 2015/16 is the one that is awarded each year thereafter, regardless of inflation or changes in costs. If that is also the case for other arts areas then it does make me wonder what the Arts Council members are doing to justify their (not equally static) remuneration.
This article about a grant application does little to dispel the suspicion about how money is awarded.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-arts-council-wastes-money-and-is-bad-news-for-art/

[eighthobstruction]

.....A different thing , I know....but this article about the British Council appeared yesterday...[ I believe one forumite was once involved]....https://www.theguardian.com/politics...hief-executive

[edashtav]

I found this interesting.
Table 1 . Arts Council England regular funding to opera and music theatre organisations, 2015/16 to 2023/24
It would seem that by and large the figure awarded in 2015/16 is the one that is awarded each year thereafter, regardless of inflation or changes in costs. If that is also the case for other arts areas then it does make me wonder what the Arts Council members are doing to justify their (not equally static) remuneration.
This article about a grant application does little to dispel the suspicion about how money is awarded.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/...-news-for-art/

Truly shocking accusations.

[Saint-Loup]

Nataliya Romaniw is the sub for Lise. She was excellent in Tosca recently…

And in 'Festen' currently.

[Ein Heldenleben]

And in 'Festen' currently.

Saint-Loup - rather like your fictional namesake you have tempted me into extravagant expenditure - see ROH thread

[alywin]

I saw Jenufa the other week, too, and although I ... appreciated it, I think I would say, I too was quite surprised at the vehemence of the audience response.

[Dave2002]

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/s...r-opera/#fn-35

Horribly revealing, scrupulously disinterested in its even-handed presentation of the facts, an admirably-constructed and presented parliamentary report from the House of Lords Library (published last Tuesday, December 3).

If you weren't deeply concerned about the future of opera in the UK, you will be after reading this. The timeserving Arts Council needs completely restructuring, quite evidently pursuing a populist socio-political rather than artistic agenda.

Very interesting, but why no mention of arts, music and opera in Scotland and/or Northern Ireland? Scotland has some surviving and thriving [to an extent - though perhaps limited] opera companies and orchestras. I know little about Ireland or Northern Ireland.