The end of ENO?

[ChandlersFord]

Thing is when Hitler ,no less, has signed your death warrant dealing with the Arts Council is a walk in the park.
I didn’t realise the exact reason for the Leeds base . Good for him as Leeds is always losing out culturally., Having ENO based in Manchester is a non starter. It would be better off in Brum.

Birmingham already has its own opera company and a very famous symphony orchestra. Despite this, it's barren grounds for the arts as Brum is now (and has been for some time) a philistine city. Liverpool, which has never been a philistine city, would actually be a better bet, but hardly ideal. Bottom line is: the english regions can't sustain more than one full-time opera company.

[LHC]

I've read through the comments and that's not the impression I got, or at least no more such comments than would be expected, and far far fewer than you would find for instance in my local rag about anything to do with "poncey arty-farty stuff" that might have the temerity to want a bit of cash to put on a concert or a theatre production. The comments you refer to were early ones.
There seemed to be quite a few people who know at least something of the opera scene in this country and plenty who questioned how moving to Manchester would help either ENO or any of the existing companies already based in/operating in that territory. There was also reference to the different situation on mainland Europe with regard to provision and funding of opera.

I read the article quite early this morning. Some more balanced and knowledgeable responses have clearly been added since then.

[oddoneout]

It's a good and illuminating article, but I'd advise against reading the comments BTL, which show a level of wilful ignorance worthy of the Daily Mail. Apparently tickets for Covent Garden cost between £400 and £500 each, all arts organisations should be removed from the Capital immediately, and because lots of people pay to go to the Glastonbury Festival, arts organisations (and opera in particular) should not be subsidised.

I've read through the comments and that's not the impression I got, or at least no more such comments than would be expected, and far far fewer than you would find for instance in my local rag about anything to do with "poncey arty-farty stuff" that might have the temerity to want a bit of cash to put on a concert or a theatre production. The comments you refer to were early ones.
There seemed to be quite a few people who know at least something of the opera scene in this country and plenty who questioned how moving to Manchester would help either ENO or any of the existing companies already based in/operating in that territory. There was also reference to the different situation on mainland Europe with regard to provision and funding of opera.

[LHC]

One other point I've noticed in the Arts Council's proposals for ENO concerns the Coliseum, which is owned by ENO.

Part of the ACE proposals are that, even though ENO will be forced to move out of London, it will retain the Coli and rent it out to other organisations (presumably to help pay for its future unsubsidised existence) and perhaps even make use of it for occasional visits to the Capital. However, ACE has also proposed in its small print that ENO should make the Coli available to the remaining ACE-funded organisations 'at preferential rates', thereby undermining any commercial benefit to ENO from retaining and managing the building.

Lebrecht has also reported on his site that DCMS has opened discussions with the Royal Albert Hall about it taking over the Coli and managing it, although this seems a rather speculative story (rumour) given that neither DCMS nor the Arts Council actually own the building.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It's good to remind us that Opera North started off as an offshoot of ENO, with Leeds chosen over Manchester for its proximity to Harewood House. As the company was started on a shoestring, its first director didn't want to cause the fledgling company any extra expense in putting him up!

In 1950 he also founded Opera magazine, the art form's 'trade journal' ever since, endowing it with funds enough to keep its independence intact for the foreseeable future. We owe him a huge debt, and I think it is fair to say that this current fiasco would have been averted had he still been around, such was his beneficial influence.

Thing is when Hitler ,no less, has signed your death warrant dealing with the Arts Council is a walk in the park.
I didn’t realise the exact reason for the Leeds base . Good for him as Leeds is always losing out culturally., Having ENO based in Manchester is a non starter. It would be better off in Brum.

[Master Jacques]

One of the comments reminds us that it was ENO that established Opera North - Lord Harewood’s idea in 1977. I think he would have had an interest as he owned a large swathe of Yorkshire .Without getting all foreleg tugging he belonged to a different era - one in which aristocrats had a sense of public obligation. Now the two organisations he nurtured are engaged in a fight to the death I suspect .
The much reviled seventies - in fact a decade of cultural optimism .Just look at this country now…

It's good to remind us that Opera North started off as an offshoot of ENO, with Leeds chosen over Manchester for its proximity to Harewood House. As the company was started on a shoestring, its first director didn't want to cause the fledgling company any extra expense in putting him up!

In 1950 he also founded Opera magazine, the art form's 'trade journal' ever since, endowing it with funds enough to keep its independence intact for the foreseeable future. We owe him a huge debt, and I think it is fair to say that this current fiasco would have been averted had he still been around, such was his beneficial influence.

[Frances_iom]

....
The much reviled seventies - in fact a decade of cultural optimism .Just look at this country now…

There is a review of Matthew Engel's book "The Reign ..Part 1.. 1952-79" in this weeks Tablet - Christopher Bray the reviewer points out that at the end of this period Britain was the most equal country in the world - soon to be undone by Thatcher whose sins arising from the dismemberment of the post war settlement will I suspect will outlast her children's children.

[Ein Heldenleben]

One of the comments reminds us that it was ENO that established Opera North - Lord Harewood’s idea in 1977. I think he would have had an interest as he owned a large swathe of Yorkshire .Without getting all foreleg tugging he belonged to a different era - one in which aristocrats had a sense of public obligation. Now the two organisations he nurtured are engaged in a fight to the death I suspect .
The much reviled seventies - in fact a decade of cultural optimism .Just look at this country now…

[ChandlersFord]

It's a good and illuminating article, but I'd advise against reading the comments BTL, which show a level of wilful ignorance worthy of the Daily Mail. Apparently tickets for Covent Garden cost between £400 and £500 each, all arts organisations should be removed from the Capital immediately, and because lots of people pay to go to the Glastonbury Festival, arts organisations (and opera in particular) should not be subsidised.

That's actually fairly typical of the Guardian's current readership, most of whom are more into football and 'popular culture' than the so-called 'high arts'.

[LHC]

Good article by Mark Wigglesworth in today’s Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...k-wigglesworth

It's a good and illuminating article, but I'd advise against reading the comments BTL, which show a level of wilful ignorance worthy of the Daily Mail. Apparently tickets for Covent Garden cost between £400 and £500 each, all arts organisations should be removed from the Capital immediately, and because lots of people pay to go to the Glastonbury Festival, arts organisations (and opera in particular) should not be subsidised.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Interesting indeed, thank you. Wigglesworth offers a good case history of what happens when the artists (who generally know the best way to go about their business) are overridden by management consultancies, self-interested administrative ciphers and boards of the Great and Good.

Getting McKinsey in was a huge , huge mistake.

[Master Jacques]

Good article by Mark Wigglesworth in today’s Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...k-wigglesworth

Interesting indeed, thank you. Wigglesworth offers a good case history of what happens when the artists (who generally know the best way to go about their business) are overridden by management consultancies, self-interested administrative ciphers and boards of the Great and Good.

[Belgrove]

Good article by Mark Wigglesworth in today’s Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/10/defunding-eno-is-devastating-but-the-writing-was-on-the-wall-mark-wigglesworth

[Master Jacques]

Oh, disappointing. ACE has removed my post linking to this thread.

I wish I could feel surprised by that. Now if the thread had been a "celebration" of their marvellous, forward-thinking new strategy....

[french frank]

Quite so. This person's ability to change tack with the wind is truly amazing. He's seemingly taken advantage of some of the posts on this thread (!) to come up with some sound bites, as well as those letters to The Times. But ACE is too flimsy and craven to stand up to HM Government, which is why ENO (as well as the touring arms of Glyndebourne and the Welsh National Opera) find themselves trashed. It seems even Murphy has managed to grasp hold of that fact: but with a CEO like this, there is no hope.

Oh, disappointing. ACE has removed my post linking to this thread.