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 …