Breaking: English National Opera is dropped by Arts Council England
NewsEnglish National Opera is the major casualty in ACE’s new funding round. It has been dropped from the National Portfolio following years of under-performance, resulting in its present part-time status.
Other London casualties include the Donmar Warehouse and Hampstead Theatre.
The consequences will be catastrophic.
Stay tuned for reactions.
I think ENO has received a grant to move to Manchester. Does anyone go to opera in Manchester?
Try and be a little more patronising James … I guess you think all of Manchester looks like Coronation Street too.
This comment beggars belief!
Urgh, that’s the whole point. Even if nobody does go (btw, they do) then having a new opera company, doing great things, will build a new audience.
They have Opera North. When I lived there, they also got Welsh National, Glyndebourne Touring, with Scottish Opera in Liverpool. Nowhere fkr ENO to go. Opera North was originally an ENO creation in Leeds as ENON. ENO funded it. Now liable to set up in competition – a joke if it wasnt all very sad and somewhat pathetic.
@ James Weiss: They go whenever they can.
Yes, Opera North in Manchester Lowry x 3 a year with Welsh and Glyndebourne Touring at least in Liverpool, and the wonderful RNCM operas too who have an opera theatre.
Manchester International Festival proudly plays to undersold houses over and over on our tax payers dollar. Is this the poor programming of their current dull leader, or Manchester‘s larger lack of passion for pretentious arts? Point being. Manchester does not need a C list opera company. Opera North serves us just fine. Stay away ENO. We don‘t need your C list opera house here.
I’m more shocked that the superb Donmar was cut. It may be fortunate to be a small enough operation to be able to replace the lost funding with more private donations. I certainly hope so!
Hate to tell you so excuse my ignlrance, but I had never heard of them until this week.
Given that many people are finding it hard to afford food and heating, I think it’s great that this unsuccessful business is no longer receiving funding.
Its an absolute tragedy that the capital is losing its premier native singing Opera House in this way. As fools at the ACE- get ever more absurdly ‘diverse’ & ‘populist’- in their outlook- we are losing national institutions of the utmost cultural importance. Also- the jobs of talented musicians- both singers & instrumentalists are at stake. Surely- somebody can stop this idiocy. If nobody can- the outlook is truly bleak & the future of high art forms (as opposed to low brow ones) faces severe jeopardy in this increasingly fourth rate nation of ours.
Does anyone know what will happen to existing future solo contracts?
Perhaps Bob Holland and Michelle Williams will finally evaporate their mediocrity from our industry!? Light at the end of the tunnel. Martyn Brabbins too – back to his tiny, lazy career outside London. Stuart Murphy … back to your …cocaine den? No one really cares. Just away – forever. All 4 of you.
Sue please identify you self so that I can have a face to face discussion about some of the very hurtful points you have made .