The end of ENO?

[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]

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.

[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]

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.

[french frank]

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

[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?

[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'.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Frances_iom]

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

I was always told off when as an habitue of the upper slips (ie seats I could afford) I always claimed the old arrangement with our separate entrance + its own coffee bar was much preferable to the new house - the 90+ steps meant that those too obese to occupy one seat and not require 2 kept away - I was always happy to look down on those who helped fund my seat - though the old house had a leaky roof it didn't smell like a fishmongers.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I was always told off when as an habitue of the upper slips (ie seats I could afford) I always claimed the old arrangement with our separate entrance + its own coffee bar was much preferable to the new house - the 90+ steps meant that those too obese to occupy one seat and not require 2 kept away - I was always happy to look down on those who helped fund my seat - though the old house had a leaky roof it didn't smell like a fishmongers.

Yes why does the Floral Hall always smell of fish (and money ) ?
I mourn the old amphitheatre bars - including the tiny side bar 3/4 of the way up. Quite possibly the greatest repository of operatic wisdom in the UK . Unless Hugh Canning was holding forth in the stalls bar….

[Frances_iom]

Yes why does the Floral Hall always smell of fish (and money ) ?
....

The fish comes from the restaurant serving the customary 1st fish course - I was told that the 'smell' of city money is that of cocaine but here I am ignorant never using the latter and not seeing the former in any bulk.

[Simon B]

I don’t find Covent Garden snobbish

Likewise. They let me in on a fairly regular basis without any obvious condescension* which is pretty much QED on that score. (*Maybe I'm enough of a lumbering provincial oaf that I don't even notice).

Inevitably, you tend to get a very different impression depending on which bit of it your ticket is for. It helps to note that probably 50% of the entire capacity of the place is the Amphi, side balconies and other cheaper bits. Fellow occupants of the standing places I mostly occupy are more likely to be accessorising with a battered carrier bag and dishevelled Grauniad than anything that would look at home in a diamond heist.

Downstairs is a different matter, based on my occasional forays there made when unsold seats are put on offer at about 1/5 of their usual price. Though again, I've never discerned any overt snobbery towards me despite being obviously out of my natural habitat, what with my "Wardrobe by Tesco" vibe and so on. I have sat with numerous people who exude the obvious trappings of significant wealth and the background that goes with it, but surprisingly often they've opened conversations which quickly reveal that I don't have a monopoly on a sincere love of opera.

No doubt there will be some obnoxious types, that's just life. I may be one myself, though solely with anyone who won't sit the still and shut the up during the music, but I'd say that just makes me an intolerant git. This, I would contend, is quite distinct from snobbery. In any case, I'm just as much of a git when I attend ENO or WNO or Opera North so it's nothing to do with Covent Garden.

The ROH is a strange and incongruous coalition of properly wealthy and well connected opera lovers, a residue of others who are minted but for whom the opera is incidental to a night out and a whole load of other people drawn from a reasonable cross section of the population united only by the quirk of some level of interest in opera. This is its strength really. I'm glad the properly wealthy lot who sit downstairs are there, because without the wads of cash they hand over and the influence they exert the place would be broke. The money from ACE is a relatively small proportion of the turnover but comes with the string that they have to, and do, let the likes of me in. Take that away and it'll keep going (potentially ending up as the only full-scale UK opera company left the way things are going) but without the obligation to sell some tickets at prices provincial oafs like me can sometimes afford.