More trouble at ENO

[jean]

I think this under appreciated point might have a lot to do with it.

It's well known that this is the origin of our Londoncentricity. But it's no excuse for its continuance, and exacerbation.

The 'Northern Powerhouse' idea is just a distraction - to keep people looking the other way while the regions are looted.

It's a complete con. But in crying it up, even the Government makes no reference to cultural provision.

The late Michael Winner once opined that if enough people in the regions wanted 'cultural things', they would have them. But they don't, so they don't.

As stupidly complacent as a statement could be.

How are they supposed to get these things when their budgets are being slashed by more than half? I don't notice that the ROH or the ENO manage without subsidy.

[teamsaint]

Never mind London and Berlin - I'm more interested in the huge cultural gap between British provincial cities and European ones.

Where's the British equivalent of Deutsche Oper am Rhein?

Germany stages more than a quarter of all opera performances in the world, so is not perhaps a fair direct comparison.

http://operabase.com/top.cgi?lang=en&season=2013

But I am sure your general point holds.

[ardcarp]

Martin Handley launched an (off piste?) diatribe against the ENO Chorus cuts on Breakfast this a.m. shortly after 8.30. Good for him. Hope he doesn't get the sack.

On a lighter note, I was slightly amused by this headline:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/26/choristers-english-national-opera-eno-vote-strike

Choristers?

[jean]

Why not?

The OED gives 1. A member of a choir of singers before the more specialised a. of a church choir; now spec. a choir-boy.

I don't see why it shouldn't be used in a more general sense again, as there isn't any other single word that will serve the purpose!

.

[Nevilevelis]

Yes, quite so, Jean, and referred to as such at the ROH too, with no offence taken, although for the purposes of stage calls, the distinction is made between members of the regular (it may be full time) and extra chorus, presumably because sometimes the extras only join the regulars for large chorus scenes. Sometimes the extras get a separate call ("Ladies and Gentlemen of the Extra chorus") if they are a separate unit e.g. off stage chorus, or slaves in Aida etc. as do the regulars/full timers. Of course, it doesn't have to be that way, one might just as well say, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the chorus as..." pilgrims, or populace, townsfolk or whatever. It's just a tradition, I guess. I've gone somewhat off track and I don't know what the tradition is at ENO, but your point stands.

[VodkaDilc]

I'm going to Akhnaten on Friday, so it will be interesting to see whether the threatened action will happen at that performance. I booked through the website and they have my email address, so perhaps they will be in contact if the threat for that performance becomes more definite. The newspaper article which mentioned that opera did not specify dates.

[pastoralguy]

The late Michael Winner said a lot of things...

Most of it out his a***!

[bluestateprommer]

David Nice had a feature at The Arts Desk where he lets members of the ENO Chorus speak (anonymously, for obvious reasons):

http://www.theartsdesk.com/opera/save-eno-chorus-speaks

Per VodkaDilc's comment, it seems that the protest scheduled for Akhnathen was called off, per DN's feature. At least two reviews have been laudatory, Andrew Clements in The Guardian and Fiona Maddocks in The Observer, with particular praise for the ENO Chorus:

AC:

"....as ever, the beleaguered ENO Chorus rises magnificently to every challenge it’s given."

FM:

"....the ENO chorus blazed. Mark Wigglesworth, ENO music director, leapt to his feet when they took their bow on first night. Cheers for the survival, intact, of this threatened group of 44 singers have turned to a roar."

(Just saw at the end of FM's review's her comment to reinforce that the strike action has been called off for the moment.)

[Nick Armstrong]

Exit Mark Wigglesworth....

https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2016/eno-music-director-mark-wigglesworth-step-less-year/

[underthecountertenor]

Exit Mark Wigglesworth....

https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2016...tep-less-year/

I hope I'm wrong, but this news feels like the beginning of the end.

[Lento]

Did Wigglesworth propose an alternative plan of action? I presume there are no easy options here. What are the options, if the management's proposals are off-limits artistically?

[Flosshilde]

According to the rfeport on Radio 4 news this morning, he presented plans to the Board which included less elaborate costumes & sets etc.

ENO does seem to go in for directors who think opera is about extravagent spectacle & throw in loads of superfluous extras. Aknahten had a troop of jugglers who were rarely off the stage, tossing their balls about. Justified, according to the programme, by some tomb frescos showing jugglers, and because the balls could represent the sun.

[makropulos]

Whatever Wigglesworth's abilities as a conductor - and in spite of his experience - his track record, at least recently, suggests that he's a resigner rather than somebody who sticks it out. He resigned from the Monnaie before even taking up the post, and now he's resigned from ENO very near the start of his tenure, and at a time when the company desperately needs a Music Director to give it stability and boost morale. He must have known the situation he was getting into when he took the job, and to quit now looks like self-preservation. It's certainly not going to help the musicians of ENO.

[Lento]

According to the rfeport on Radio 4 news this morning, he presented plans to the Board which included less elaborate costumes & sets etc.

It would be interesting to know why these plans were not accepted. I suspect it was thought that they would be insufficient to make the savings required, ie that the financial rot has gone too far.

[Flosshilde]

An article in yesterday's i based on an interview with Cressida Pollok (sp?) suggested that she thinks opera is about lavish costumes & sets.

(I'm possibly being a little unfair as she did talk about the human elements of the story, emotions etc)