The end of ENO?

[ChandlersFord]

I don’t find Covent Garden snobbish - plenty of ornery folks go there. But if you dine in the restaurant, they will assume you’re rich enough to partly fund one of their productions.

[Master Jacques]

The ground floor caff is like a Costa - sorry that does sound snobby.

I rest my case! No, I agree that 'snobby' is not the best adjective, just the best I could manage on the fly to describe the sense I often have at the Royal Opera, that too many people are not there for the opera itself to make for the right buzz.

I make a big exception for Gerald Barry's Alice's Adventures Underground, before lockdown, which was a joy thanks to the massive - and attentive - enthusiasm from the many children in the audience. Best feeling I'd experienced there for years! If they did more shows like that, in English with leading British singers, and appealing to children of all ages, I'd be less depressed.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Of course there should be room for two opera houses in London, as every major capital in Europe with a claim to serious artistic commitment shows. And the English-language house is much the more important of the two, culturally (and artistically too, from a historical perspective). Trashing it is an act of barbarism. Wagner, Puccini and Janacek would all have been appalled that their work was in danger of not being seen here in English. Just read Vaughan Williams on this subject - for him "original language opera" was for "snobs and prigs". Full stop.

The problem has been that for decades the funding has been spent on bloating the administrative departments - and in the case of ENO on non-core activities, social service programmes and multimedia gimmicks. That's not how things are done in Germany, for example. The Arts Council has pushed this populist agenda: if they could take that dirty word "Arts" out of their title, they would. With principal solo singers and choruses moving off contract, it became even cheaper for ENO to mount a dwindling number of performances, at astronomical, American-style price levels for most people.

As a result we've ended up with the deluge of half-full Toscas, Bohemes and Carmens (in both houses) which has alienated music lovers who would be happy to pay reasonable amounts to see more interesting repertoire, in decently intelligent productions.

It's significant that both houses have had a major falling-out with the opera critics (in so far as the rump of national press and specialist magazines such as Opera still make up some sort of critical mass). Go to the Royal Opera website, and you'll find a load of hyperbolic tweets from satisfied customers, saying what a brill evening out they've had at Covent Garden, and how fab the diva and the food were. And that's all you'll find. ENO project their own 'fabuloso' tweets on the drop curtain during the interval, and discourage the "cabal of critics" (S. Murphy) from attending at all. Reasoned critiques? Criticism?! No thanks!

We're in a right mess. And as far as opera goes, we're passing down nearly nothing to the next generation. A few snobby performances at Covent Garden for the great and good does not equate to a healthy situation in the performing arts. Pountney is quite right. Serota should be off to his next sinking ship right now. And why not hand back that undeserved knighthood while he's about it?

I largely concur but I don’t think Covent Garden is remotely snobby . At Aida I sat in the (two thirds full )stalls behind a retired music teacher form Lancashire . It used to be snobby but it isn’t now. It is expensive but that’s a different matter. The real problem with Covent Garden is that on performance nights it’s become a series of eateries with some music going on at the side. There’s none of the buzz when we were all crammed in - there were the two grumpy barmen in the Crush Bar and the fastest barman inthe world inthe amphitheatre with his stacks of meticulously pre counted change . The ground floor caff is like a Costa - sorry that does sound snobby.

[oddoneout]

Don't agree. And I think Wagner was very, very wrong to want his works staged in English, as they sound appallingly pompous when sung in that language (as Andrew Porter's once inexplicably-lauded translation proves). If you've got subtitles, you don't need it 'sung in the language of the audience'.

The way things are going worrying about which language the production is in will be irrelevant - you'll take what you're given or do without!

[ChandlersFord]

Of course there should be room for two opera houses in London, as every major capital in Europe with a claim to serious artistic commitment shows. And the English-language house is much the more important of the two, culturally (and artistically too, from a historical perspective). Trashing it is an act of barbarism. Wagner, Puccini and Janacek would all have been appalled that their work was in danger of not being seen here in English. Just read Vaughan Williams on this subject - for him "original language opera" was for "snobs and prigs". Full stop.

The problem has been that for decades the funding has been spent on bloating the administrative departments - and in the case of ENO on non-core activities, social service programmes and multimedia gimmicks. That's not how things are done in Germany, for example. The Arts Council has pushed this populist agenda: if they could take that dirty word "Arts" out of their title, they would. With principal solo singers and choruses moving off contract, it became even cheaper for ENO to mount a dwindling number of performances, at astronomical, American-style price levels for most people.

As a result we've ended up with the deluge of half-full Toscas, Bohemes and Carmens (in both houses) which has alienated music lovers who would be happy to pay reasonable amounts to see more interesting repertoire, in decently intelligent productions.

It's significant that both houses have had a major falling-out with the opera critics (in so far as the rump of national press and specialist magazines such as Opera still make up some sort of critical mass). Go to the Royal Opera website, and you'll find a load of hyperbolic tweets from satisfied customers, saying what a brill evening out they've had at Covent Garden, and how fab the diva and the food were. And that's all you'll find. ENO project their own 'fabuloso' tweets on the drop curtain during the interval, and discourage the "cabal of critics" (S. Murphy) from attending at all. Reasoned critiques? Criticism?! No thanks!

We're in a right mess. And as far as opera goes, we're passing down nearly nothing to the next generation. A few snobby performances at Covent Garden for the great and good does not equate to a healthy situation in the performing arts. Pountney is quite right. Serota should be off to his next sinking ship right now. And why not hand back that undeserved knighthood while he's about it?

Don't agree. And I think Wagner was very, very wrong to want his works staged in English, as they sound appallingly pompous when sung in that language (as Andrew Porter's once inexplicably-lauded translation proves). If you've got subtitles, you don't need it 'sung in the language of the audience'.

[Master Jacques]

I think there is room in London for two houses . The problem is the expansion in the ROH with very many more performances than 20 years ago and the size / running cost of the Coliseum. This has been compounded by a succession of poor leaders who have not realised that the job is essentially political. Covent Garden are also shamelessly out Puccining them . There needs to be a nationally agreed cap on perfs of Tosca and La Boheme -it’s becoming ridiculous.

Of course there should be room for two opera houses in London, as every major capital in Europe with a claim to serious artistic commitment shows. And the English-language house is much the more important of the two, culturally (and artistically too, from a historical perspective). Trashing it is an act of barbarism. Wagner, Puccini and Janacek would all have been appalled that their work was in danger of not being seen here in English. Just read Vaughan Williams on this subject - for him "original language opera" was for "snobs and prigs". Full stop.

The problem has been that for decades the funding has been spent on bloating the administrative departments - and in the case of ENO on non-core activities, social service programmes and multimedia gimmicks. That's not how things are done in Germany, for example. The Arts Council has pushed this populist agenda: if they could take that dirty word "Arts" out of their title, they would. With principal solo singers and choruses moving off contract, it became even cheaper for ENO to mount a dwindling number of performances, at astronomical, American-style price levels for most people.

As a result we've ended up with the deluge of half-full Toscas, Bohemes and Carmens (in both houses) which has alienated music lovers who would be happy to pay reasonable amounts to see more interesting repertoire, in decently intelligent productions.

It's significant that both houses have had a major falling-out with the opera critics (in so far as the rump of national press and specialist magazines such as Opera still make up some sort of critical mass). Go to the Royal Opera website, and you'll find a load of hyperbolic tweets from satisfied customers, saying what a brill evening out they've had at Covent Garden, and how fab the diva and the food were. And that's all you'll find. ENO project their own 'fabuloso' tweets on the drop curtain during the interval, and discourage the "cabal of critics" (S. Murphy) from attending at all. Reasoned critiques? Criticism?! No thanks!

We're in a right mess. And as far as opera goes, we're passing down nearly nothing to the next generation. A few snobby performances at Covent Garden for the great and good does not equate to a healthy situation in the performing arts. Pountney is quite right. Serota should be off to his next sinking ship right now. And why not hand back that undeserved knighthood while he's about it?

[french frank]

I've just posted this thread on ACE's Facebook page.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Wouldn't it have been more humane to simply disband ENO in the here and now, rather than issuing this polite invitation for it to die?

As others have observed - and as anyone with a knowledge of the provinces knows - there is simply not the appetite for opera in the regions to sustain another dedicated company. There isn't even enough appetite in London, hence this situation.

Not a fan of translated opera at the best of times, but this is a terrible decision and I see the hand of Dorries - who knows as much about opera as she does about writing novels - behind this ignorant and unexamined move.

I think there is room in London for two houses . The problem is the expansion in the ROH with very many more performances than 20 years ago and the size / running cost of the Coliseum. This has been compounded by a succession of poor leaders who have not realised that the job is essentially political.Covent Garden are also shamelessly out Puccining them . There needs to be a nationally agreed cap on perfs of Tosca and La Boheme -it’s becoming ridiculous.

[ChandlersFord]

Wouldn't it have been more humane to simply disband ENO in the here and now, rather than issuing this polite invitation for it to die?

As others have observed - and as anyone with a knowledge of the provinces knows - there is simply not the appetite for opera in the regions to sustain another dedicated company. There isn't even enough appetite in London, hence this situation.

Not a fan of translated opera at the best of times, but this is a terrible decision and I see the hand of Dorries - who knows as much about opera as she does about writing novels - behind this ignorant and unexamined move.

[Ein Heldenleben]

And as senior non-exec director of the BBC: "Nicholas helps ensure that the Board’s decision-making is in the public interest, informed by the best interests of the audience and with appropriate regard to the impact of decisions on the wider media market in the UK."

In safe hands, then.

The less I say about NS the better . Suffice it to say that quite a few of my former colleagues working “in the public interest” were made redundant on his watch. Now it appears they are to be joined by orchestral musicians and singers.

[french frank]

Good letter from Sir David Pountney in the Times today. […]

"Slashing the money first and considering the resulting options afterwards is totally unprofessional. Sir Nicholas Serota should not have put his name to such a procedure, whatever the pressure from the government (what happened to the “arm’s length principle”?) and should resign.

And as senior non-exec director of the BBC: "Nicholas helps ensure that the Board’s decision-making is in the public interest, informed by the best interests of the audience and with appropriate regard to the impact of decisions on the wider media market in the UK."

In safe hands, then.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Good letter from Sir David Pountney in the Times today..

“ARTS COUNCIL CUTS
Sir, The abrupt announcement of the withdrawal of Arts Council England’s grant to English National Opera from April is brutal and irresponsible (news, Nov 5; letters, Nov 7). There is an argument for rebalancing cultural funding between London and the regions but this requires serious planning. The fate of several hundred employees and an institution with a history of 90 years is not to be decided so arbitrarily. In any case, the reduction of Welsh National Opera’s English grant by 35 per cent indicates that there is no consistent policy. This grant enables WNO to serve seven regional cities, so this should have been increased, not cut.
Relocating ENO to a regional city could also be part of rebalancing but there is no evidence that this has been seriously considered. There have been no discussions with Manchester’s existing cultural bodies, let alone with Opera North, which already performs in Manchester, nor any analysis of the necessary investment to create a venue in Manchester appropriate for a national opera company. Such a scheme requires a minimum of three years of planning and negotiation.

Slashing the money first and considering the resulting options afterwards is totally unprofessional. Sir Nicholas Serota should not have put his name to such a procedure, whatever the pressure from the government (what happened to the “arm’s length principle”?) and should resign. Arts Council England can have no credibility in these circumstances as a responsible body charged with a serious vision of the country’s cultural provision.
Sir David Pountney
Artistic director, WNO, 2011-19; director of productions, ENO, 1982-93; London SW8”

He’s right . It’s the complete lack of any plan and any breathing space to implement it which is so incompetent.

[Master Jacques]

Serota and Murphy have just been defending themselves on tonight's Radio 4 Front Row.

Murphy is acting all wounded this time, denying everything he said about the joys of relocating to Manchester straight after the announcement, and denying the idea came from ENO, having been foisted on the company without planning or warning. He's now saying it all came as a terrible shock, and goes on to blame "a coterie of opera critics" for dragging the company's reputation down (i.e. pointing out how artistic standards had dropped through the floor), when audiences and administrators think it's all marvellous, leading the country in diversity and getting young audiences.

Serota simply pretended that he couldn't hear the more difficult questions he was asked, such as the suggestion that he was breaking the Arts Council charter by allowing HM Government to dictate funding policy to the organisation. Well I suppose it's one way of saying "no comment". His defence of the smash-up was that "the arts is changing". (Yes it is, as arts funding is turning into a top-up for social services, while professional arts are crowded out).

If anyone was wondering why ENO has been singled out for brutal treatment from this time-serving Arts Council, this pair of hypocritical dolts could hardly have made things clearer.

[Master Jacques]

Good letter from impresario Raymond Gubbay in the Times today saying pretty much what we’ve been saying,

“Sir, English National Opera has been badly managed for years. Yet Sir Nicholas Serota would have us believe that ENO asked to move out of London (rather like turkeys voting for Christmas) when it has no definite destination and as yet no feasible plan (“English National Opera to up sticks”, news and interview, Nov 5). If it is foisted on Manchester, where will it perform and why there of all places, when Opera North already does such a good job? It will also be given up to a further £17 million to fritter away in the process of transferring to wherever. Meanwhile, the orchestra, part-time chorus and backstage team will in all probability lose their jobs, and the remnants of a once-great institution will be well and truly broken up. To cap it all, the board of ENO thinks it can relocate somewhere far from London and still maintain the Coliseum. It’s the kind of topsy-turvy scenario that WS Gilbert himself might well have relished.
Raymond Gubbay
London SW1”

The bad management is what got ENO into this situation, playing into the hands of ACE's determination to trash the Anglo-Welsh operatic structure. I was speaking to a friend this afternoon, who devoted her working life to the company. She wryly observed that there are now six people - six people! - doing the job which she did by herself in the 1990s. The obesity of the company's administrative tier has frustrated its artistic leaders at every point, making sure that every round of cuts saw their own positions safeguarded, while throwing the chorus, orchestra and stage staff to the lions.

No wonder sympathies are limited, though (of course) most of the admin rats will find routes to jump ship, while the artists have their livelihoods destroyed for ever.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Good letter from impresario Raymond Gubbay in the Times today saying pretty much what we’ve been saying,

“Sir, English National Opera has been badly managed for years. Yet Sir Nicholas Serota would have us believe that ENO asked to move out of London (rather like turkeys voting for Christmas) when it has no definite destination and as yet no feasible plan (“English National Opera to up sticks”, news and interview, Nov 5). If it is foisted on Manchester, where will it perform and why there of all places, when Opera North already does such a good job? It will also be given up to a further £17 million to fritter away in the process of transferring to wherever. Meanwhile, the orchestra, part-time chorus and backstage team will in all probability lose their jobs, and the remnants of a once-great institution will be well and truly broken up. To cap it all, the board of ENO thinks it can relocate somewhere far from London and still maintain the Coliseum. It’s the kind of topsy-turvy scenario that WS Gilbert himself might well have relished.
Raymond Gubbay
London SW1”