The end of ENO?

[Ein Heldenleben]

I am puzzled. Is this the implementation of the revised fire and rehire agreement that meant the proposed strike this month was called off? In which case why email out redundancy notices during a performance, or has the DoP still not got her head around the fact that these employees work evenings and weekends? So they won't be sitting at home when they read the email - whether expected or not.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/15/english-national-opera-musicians-call-off-strike-action

https://slippedisc.com/2024/02/exclu...ing-musicians/

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Director of People was completely unaware there was a
performance that night. In forty years of broadcasting I only very rarely saw any one from HR at work at weekends , on earlies, lates , in a studio , or on location. But boy could they do meetings.

[oddoneout]

I am puzzled. Is this the implementation of the revised fire and rehire agreement that meant the proposed strike this month was called off? In which case why email out redundancy notices during a performance, or has the DoP still not got her head around the fact that these employees work evenings and weekends? So they won't be sitting at home when they read the email - whether expected or not.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/15/english-national-opera-musicians-call-off-strike-action

https://slippedisc.com/2024/02/exclusive-eno-starts-firing-musicians/

[LHC]

I see the “Director of People “ at ENO emailed out redundancy notices during the final performance of A Handmaid’s Tale.The affected singers and musicians read them and played on . Good for them . As for the management ..words fail me..

Apparently the redundancy notices were emailed to singers and musicians shortly before curtain up, with the result that most of the performers read that they were to be sacked in the interval. Being the professionals they are (unlike ENO's senior management), they continued to give their all in the second half.

It has been reported that the opera's conductor, Joana Carneiro, was horrified when she learned what was taking place, and then astonished that the performance showed no signs whatsoever of the turmoil being inflicted on the performers in real time by ENO's "Director of People".

[Ein Heldenleben]

I see the “Director of People “ at ENO emailed out redundancy notices during the final performance of A Handmaid’s Tale.The affected singers and musicians read them and played on . Good for them . As for the management ..words fail me..

[Pulcinella]

A letter from Gardner, Elder, and Pappano is in today's Times:

Operatic tragedy

Sir, We are devastated to hear of the proposed cuts to the chorus and orchestra of English National Opera (News, Oct 14). We should all be clear: if these plans go through, it will lead to the demise of this great company. An opera company is defined by its chorus and orchestra — their passion, expertise and knowledge. ENO is among the best in the world. These groups are built over decades of shared experience. They have collective skills that cannot be resurrected. Many of these highly trained musicians and singers will not be able to continue in their jobs. Anyone who can find alternative employment will. A relocation is apparently planned by 2029. These cuts will put a stranglehold on the artistic future of the company, wherever it is based. Opera should be available to everyone — this is the founding premise of ENO. Under these plans the company will be an empty shell of its former self. Large scale productions, for which ENO is famous, will be impossible. The recent revival of Peter Grimes is an outstanding example. This isn’t levelling up, it is the killing off of the art form. The Arts Council and the industry need to be honest about the effect of these cuts. And we plead with them to reconsider their support or the work of this great company will be irretrievably lost.
Edward Gardner
Music director of English National Opera 2006-15
Sir Mark Elder
Music director of English National Opera 1979-93
Sir Antonio Pappano
Music director, Royal Opera House

And here's a link to the associated article:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0ad8ee84-6c48-11ee-b0f3-053d83492f27?shareToken=e30fcf7b4349fe60a302f4d7af a6395d

And here's Richard Morrison's take in Times2:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/3a9dd096-9446-4195-b4c2-d06d154b25a1?shareToken=8bd5e22e98245a69558f9c280a0e5809

[JasonPalmer]

Tourists flock to london and theatre land, moving the eno out of london is bonkers. The eto do well at spreading opera outside of london. The madness of cuts.

[Pulcinella]

Times shareable link (supposedly; the app has changed recently):

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/60097fd2-6b9d-11ee-b0f3-053d83492f27?shareToken=0451320beb627a1cd8a87c01db6c331a

[Ein Heldenleben]

The ENO riposte in postable format -

A statement by the ENO said: “The ENO is surprised that Martyn Brabbins has decided to end his tenure as music director so abruptly.

“As a member of the ENO’s senior leadership, Martyn has been party to all key discussions at all stages and the extremely difficult decisions that have to be made by the Board and Management in constrained financial circumstances.

“After nine months of negotiation with Arts Council England, the ENO has reached a position where we are confident we can maintain a substantial level of operatic work – as opposed to the original reality of total redundancy across the entire company (following Art Council England’s previous decision to remove the ENO as a National Portfolio Organisation in November 2022).

“As recorded in board minutes, an all-staff meeting and in correspondence with management and the board, Martyn agreed that the position reached with Arts Council England in July 2023 provides a workable outcome.

“As the ENO’s musical leader, we are disappointed that Martyn has chosen to resign rather than support the company by engaging with the process of creating a sustainable future for the ENO.”

[Ein Heldenleben]

Here’s the crux:

Thanks Nick , I’ve only seen the ENO riposte. I was only there last Monday for an excellent Peter Grimes. The orchestra got a particularly warm ovation.

[Nick Armstrong]

Martyn Brabbins has resigned as Music Director. This follows the cuts announced this week to the orchestra.
The ENO statement is too big to upload but they sound rather cheesed off.

Here’s the crux:

[Ein Heldenleben]

Martyn Brabbins has resigned as Music Director. This follows the cuts announced this week to the orchestra.
The ENO statement is too big to upload but they sound rather cheesed off.

[Pulcinella]

Lord Sumption quits the ENO Board:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lord-sumption-quits-english-national-opera-over-forced-move-out-of-london-d9p8p7w5z?shareToken=f07b3a5ed8d141e226071f16528762b3

[mopsus]

Bristol is not centrally located but it would at least put opera within striking distance of people in Devon and Cornwall (for example), who don't have it at the moment and who can't easily get to Cardiff or occasional weeks in Southampton (if indeed those still happen?).

Having said that, I'm not sure how high a priority the arts are for Bristol council. The main concert hall was very nearly not reopened at all on the grounds of cost (it will do so, as Bristol Beacon, over 4 years late this autumn. Only half of the delay was due to the pandemic.)

Nottingham is more central to UK, already has a v.good 'culture' profile, good transport links.

[french frank]

ENO have announced a shortlist of cities where they may base themselves - Birmingham, Bristol, Greater Manchester, Liverpool Nottingham

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65497596

I wondered about Bristol, with Cardiff and WNO being so close. But if WNO kept/had to keep its touring largely to Wales, Wales might benefit cullturally. Tours to Bristol had already been cut down so I don't think the presence of ENO there would prevent slotting in a WNO visit when convenient.

That said, I don't see them choosing Bristol.