Exclusive: Royal Albert Hall loses its head
NewsWe hear that Craig Hassall has resigned as the hall’s chief executive.
An amiable Australian who recognised the value of classical programming, Hassall joined the hall in 2017. He got tough with the BBC during Covid when they tried to weasel out of giving a proper Proms season.
Word is, he has accepted a top-dollar job in the US.
The Hall cannot confirm or deny this information and Craig is not answering his emails.
The BBC can always be relied upon to mess things up, in its infinite Blobbiness. In this case, it seems, by evading its commitments (to the RAH, to licence fee payers, to artists) under cover of Covid, and doing the bare minimum. The executives were all cowering at home, wringing their hands. Look at what the Salzburg Festival achieved even in the summer of 2020!
Wow, an exec that NL actually approves of. Speechless.
NY Phil??
Well, with the BBC Proms decline and possible elimination, the finances don’t stack up.
BBC.Quality.An oxymoron surely.
Hire someone British! How much longer must we endure all the international pianists from communist countries, staff from around the world, bleeding us dry, and denying the chance for our own talent to shine!
We can be cosmopolitan and showcase our own talent!
Craig Hassall has been an excellent boss at the RAH. What narrow-minded rubbish you are talking.
The BBC did that ages ago.