ENO’s John Berry teams up with old foe
mainThe ousted director of English National Opera has formed a joint venture with Loretta Tomasi, the company’s former chief executive with whom he fought hammer and tongs over spending plans, precipitating first her departure and then his own.
Their company, Opera Ventures, will do pop-up co-productions, the first being Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Greek with Scottish Opera at this summer’s Edinburgh Festival. Funds have been raised and the plans are bold.
Friends say Berry and Tomasi are singing loudly off the same hymn sheet, harmoniously too.
We wish them well.
Tomasi, Damon Albarn, Berry, Rufus Norris in happier times. photo: PA/ENO
Wonderful! Wouldn’t be at all surprised that ENO are wishing they hadn’t got rid of Berry after the even greater mess they’re in and no opera much until September!
Bold plans? Do please reveal more.
I thought that John Berry was in Moscow advising the Bolshoi? Thank goodness he left ENO when he did, otherwise there would now be no ENO at all! As it is the Coliseum is ‘dark’ for the next 6 months, apart from the ‘odd’ musical. Look back at the pre-Berry days and you will find a totally different picture – a company at the very top of their game: one of the best in the world!