The end of ENO?

[Master Jacques]

A reminder that Buxton (pop 22,115) has a beautiful opera house designed by Frank Matcham. Admittedly outside the annual arts festival the operas it put on are provided by touring companies, but it does show that opera is not anathema in all parts of the country.

It is absolutely gorgeous, as you say, and wonderfully restored - one of my favourite opera venues, with a superb acoustic. Of course, it represents one of the last working 19th century opera houses which used to be liberally scattered around the country, when opera was considered indispensable to serious civic culture. Doubtless there were plenty of people around then as now, complaining that the council should have been spending its money on workhouses instead!

[Ein Heldenleben]

As for Suffolk, you'll have noted that the excellent Britten Sinfonia lost 100% of its funding (total removal) in last week's ACE bomb blast?
https://brittensinfonia.com/2022/11/...e-funding-cut/

Yes saw that and appalled. Knowing both counties well I would say there is still much more classical music there than in Devon. There is absolutely nothing here to compare with Snape. The BSO come to Exeter 6 times a year and Plymouth once. There used to be an international standard chamber music series in Plymouth - that’s gone . There are a few bits and pieces left - like the Dartington Summer school but even that is looking fragile. On hols in Walberswick this year I also noticed a lively concert scene in Norfolk. Suffolk is a wealthier county than Devon and its classical music provision reflects that.

[ChandlersFord]

Bizarre but curiously heart warming …

I've just checked and they no longer tour to Stoke On Trent. Their only northern outpost is now Liverpool.

Can't say I blame them, either, as S-on-T is probably the ugliest, most philistine part of england, despite some formidable competition. In 2019, its enthusiasm for brexit cause it to elect there (count 'em!) Tory MPs, one of whom is a nihilist. An area that has contributed nothing to the world apart from some twee, ugly pottery and a now unread popular novelist doesn't deserve anyone's attention.

[Ein Heldenleben]

As for Suffolk, you'll have noted that the excellent Britten Sinfonia lost 100% of its funding (total removal) in last week's ACE bomb blast?
https://brittensinfonia.com/2022/11/...e-funding-cut/

The ACE Director of music has just been interviewed on Music Matters on this. When you try and decode the bureaucrat speak it looks like, amongst other things , the Sinfonia didn’t meet the diversity critieria in either staffing or audience . But she is so inexplicit about the exact reasons - more of less refusing to discuss them.

[Master Jacques]

An area that has contributed nothing to the world apart from some twee, ugly pottery and a now unread popular novelist doesn't deserve anyone's attention.

If you're referencing Arnold Bennett, by happy chance I'm re-reading Anna of the Five Towns even now, with renewed admiration and pleasure. As with Priestley, Bennett may come in under the cognoscenti's radar these days, but there's still a great deal to savour in the quality (and quiet anger) of his best novels. So he retains at least one satisfied reader!

[Darkbloom]

I see that Bryn Terfel has started an online petition to save the ENO. When was the last time he sang there? ENO used to have a reputation for training promising singers but they rarely returned to the Coliseum once they had become established (John Tom being a rare exception) and only sang at Covent Garden if they returned to this country. I don't think it is too much to expect some of our more famous names to help out occasionally by appearing at the less prestigious opera house, even if it meant they got less money.

[Bella Kemp]

Well said Darkbloom.

And here's a link:

https://www.change.org/p/reinstate-the-english-national-opera-s-ace-funding-immediately-a2c61aac-4331-4673-ba2f-ab14514caf77

[Serial_Apologist]

A German journalist once came to Plymouth and asked which was the best Opera house …

This went down particularly well with my German neighbour, who's involved in arts production and promotion in this country, and agrees the ENO's northward move to be a serious mistake.

[Maclintick]

I see that Bryn Terfel has started an online petition to save the ENO. When was the last time he sang there? ENO used to have a reputation for training promising singers but they rarely returned to the Coliseum once they had become established (John Tom being a rare exception) and only sang at Covent Garden if they returned to this country. I don't think it is too much to expect some of our more famous names to help out occasionally by appearing at the less prestigious opera house, even if it meant they got less money.

I've signed Bryn Terfel's petition, & don't agree with your premise that once singers (alumni of the National Opera Studio, do you mean ?) have established themselves then they rarely return to ENO -- Josephine Barstow, Lesley Garratt, William Shimell, Kim Begley were regular returnees, among others.

[Belgrove]

Fiona Maddocks uses her review column in today’s Observer to highlight the cuts made by ACE, not just to ENO

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/12/the-yeomen-of-the-guard-eno-english-national-opera-review-coliseum-london-arts-council-england-ace-funding-cuts-relocation-alcina-royal-opera-richard-jones

She mentions there will be a protest outside the Coliseum at 11 am on Monday, should anyone be in the area.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I've signed Bryn Terfel's petition, & don't agree with your premise that once singers (alumni of the National Opera Studio, do you mean ?) have established themselves then they rarely return to ENO -- Josephine Barstow, Lesley Garratt, William Shimell, Kim Begley were regular returnees, among others.

I’ve signed and I agree! I don’t remember Bryn ever singing much at ENO - he was a WNO protege and I saw him singing Figaro here in Plymouth in 1990. He was magnificent in the role. He has returned to sing at WNO most notably debuting as Sachs there in Cardiff. WNO will ,I suspect, not tour much ever again. The fact that he is supporting ENO is an indication of what a solid guy he is and the fact that he’s just about the only British opera singer famous to appear on the One Show. Needless to say they got to test how loud he could sing rather than singing some Schubert ( as he’s just about our greatest living singer in that genre)
Very important that as many people as possible sign…

[Master Jacques]

Very important that as many people as possible sign…

Quite so - whatever the deficiencies of the ENO management, ACE and HM Government are the real villains here, and must be held to account. We owe it to future generations, not to let opera be killed off on our watch.

[ChandlersFord]

If you're referencing Arnold Bennett, by happy chance I'm re-reading Anna of the Five Towns even now, with renewed admiration and pleasure. As with Priestley, Bennett may come in under the cognoscenti's radar these days, but there's still a great deal to savour in the quality (and quiet anger) of his best novels. So he retains at least one satisfied reader!

I tried reading Clayhanger some years ago, but gave up. Not many books defeat me, but that one did....!

The only thing of Bennett's I've read right through is Sacred & Profane Love - widely considered his worst novel and one of the worst novels by a 'name' writer. Despite, or maybe because of this, I rather enjoyed it.


I also highly recommend Margaret Drabble's Bennett biography, which is probably better than anything AB ever wrote.


These days, the omelette that bears his name is more famous than he is! :)

[Pulcinella]

From ENO trustee Huw van Steenis in today's Times:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/english-national-opera-is-a-cultural-beacon-that-must-be-protected-mmswczs9c?shareToken=f9546064ac958c8d5495d8ec401fffca

And here's the ACE take, from the Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/14/arts-council-to-survive-funding-opera-car-parks

[kernelbogey]

And here's the ACE take, from the Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...pera-car-parks

Arts Council chief: to survive funding slash, opera should move to car parks and pubs