Report: Northern Ballet drops its orchestra
OrchestrasMessage from violist Hannah Horton:
We have just been given devastating news by Northern Ballet that they are in financial trouble, serious financial trouble. The only way forward for the company (apparently) is to continue touring WITHOUT the orchestra.
This means that we are out of work from January onwards.
This impacts seriously on my income, my family, my home, my mental health.
We are determined to fight for LIVE MUSIC. Please join me in shouting this from the roof tops
Such a loss. Northern Ballet were a superb company under the Christopher Gable years- who created dance drama- a much more intelligent and artistic precursor to Matthew Bourne. Many superb productions he created blended classical dance with acting. Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, Dracula, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Swan Lake, Carmen. The orchestra played and recorded many new commissions including work by Philip Feeney. They are a superb ensemble who achieved a terrific sound with a reduced forces. I hope this decision will be reconsidered? Does that mean dreadful pipe music from now on, like Matthew Bourne shows?
Every time I have seen Matthew Bourne it has been to a live ensemble.
I’ve seen 3 at Sadlers Wells all with heavily amplified recorded music. Was pretty shocked the first time as the tickets are just as expensive as ENB or RB.
Some of MB’s shows (especially in Sadler’s Wells) are performed with orchestra but on tour the same shows are often with a pre-recorded track. I don’t know if ticket prices reflect this.
I have had the opposite experience and wonder if they just use live ensemble in the big smoke.
Hey people like the Matthew Bourne shows and those are actually fun, not dreadful and boring like the supposed masterworks.
There’s a reason why Taylor Swift is selling out arenas and the UK’s best orchestras are barely half filling the Barbican…
Matthew Bourne’s work is different. Not all of it needs live music. Northern Ballet’s work needs live music. Taylor Swift is more like Martha Argerich or Joshua Bell, who both sell out all their shows, whether it’s in a huge venue or a small concert hall.
How can Northern Ballet do a tour in which they (presumably) perform BALLETS, but without an orchestra?
By using recordings, like Matthew Bourne.
It’s a slippery slope, and very sad, but that’s how.
Takes me back to my schooldays watching Ballet Rambert performances in town halls on creaky stages and piano accompaniment. I thought this country had left all that behind many decades ago. Very, very sad!
We have no problem with Northern Ballet using a single piano and pianist for their music- many famous ballets are meant to be performed to just accompaniment on a single piano, but a grand piano of course, eg Dances at a Gathering, Three Preludes, Adagio Hammerklavier (which is on the programme of their next visit to London). It’s the replacement of the musicians with a recorded track that is distasteful. Also, the fact that the financial crisis (despite being one of the very few dance companies to get an increase in funding from Arts Council England rather than a cut) is due to “too little too late” action by the management when costs began mounting, but the orchestra is being thrown under a bus to solve the problem, is pretty irksome. It won’t solve the problem if they don’t do anything to increase revenue….am not sure how long the company will last if this is the new CEO’s way of solving problems.
Ironic that the opening night of their first touring production (Beauty and the Beast) takes place on the day of an ASLEF strike.
Easily. Recorded music.
Devastating news indeed. I hope this announcement gets the full publicity it deserves and isn’t ignored because those involved aren’t based in the south.
Another tragedy for the arts, and artists.
This is the worst possible solution for a company which is struggling. Without music – what are they dancing too?
This happens when “Music Directors” just use their Orchestras as stepping stones!
In difficult times the musicians need strong music directors to fight for them!
Interestingly they don’t currently have a Music Director
Their last music director Jonathan Lo has left the sinking ship!
They did it only after their last music director Jonathan Lo left to become music director at the Australian Ballet (a bigger and more prestigious appointment because it covers the whole of Australia, and has a higher profile). If he was still in post, a) they wouldn’t have dared do it, b) he wouldn’t have let them. Lo is a rising superstar-when he returned from Australia to fulfill his engagements at Covent Garden, he got louder cheers when he walked on than some principals.
Do you not think Lo is partly to blame for this? Financial trouble of this scale doesn’t happen overnight, he must have known the difficulties the company were facing. Surely he could have made decisions during his tenure which prevented this, rather than abandoning the sinfonia in their hour of need.
It sounds like he got out at the right time. I only hope that he didn’t know for the sake of the orchestra. It would be a great shame.
This is awful. What many people don’t understand, is that music is paramount to our mental and emotional well-being . Ballet is an adjunct to the same. The combination of ballet with a superb orchestra is of major importance to one’s mental health. If this financial and blinding outrage continues, many people – both in terms of players and audiences – who gain so much stability and happiness from such music and dance, will be (and I mean this) mentally abused.
Live classical music is absolutely crucial both in terms of pure enjoyment but also subliminally as a support to many people in terms of aiding aspects of mental health and emotional wellbeing. And those who do not understand or compute this fundamental concept, need to reflect on this vitally important issue, and recognise the adverse consequences of abandonment of such professionalism. I speak from a strong perspective as both a passionate musician and a medically qualified professional.
We must all understand how serious the loss of the orchestra will be to massive numbers of people. And, of course, the musicians affected will lose a vocation which is distressing for them and their families.
What needs to be comprehended is the vitality of psychological health as a direct result of live music. Music feeds the soul and facilitates emotional regulation and subsequent mental stability. This is far more vital, both psychologically and physiologically, than most other live events of a non-musical nature.
I cannot stress enough how serious this matter is. We all owe it to each other to look after one another and society as a whole. Live music is an antidepressant.
So true, Andrew. I’ve protested to the company as well. The other two things that are rather irksome in this proposal/decision the management are making that have somewhat become forgotten are:
A) despite the increase in funding they are receiving from Arts Council England after the 2022 allocations (Royal Ballet and English National Ballet both got cuts, Birmingham Royal Ballet got a freeze, two companies got 100% cut), the management knew the losses/bills were mounting throughout the spring and summer tours but said and did nothing publicly. No fundraising gala or raffles/events, no appeals, etc. So what they’ve done is to throw their orchestra under the bus for their error in not dealing with it sooner. To many of us, it’s not the orchestra that should be dropped but the management!
B) Very irksome that they say London and Leeds will still get orchestra music but other cities and towns will get the backing track. What, Nottingham, Newcastle, Norwich and Woking not “good enough” compared to Leeds and London?? I’m a London Northern Ballet audience member but this two-tier system of discrimination is still distasteful to me.
If they really do go ahead with this plan and get rid of their Sinfonia, I probably would not buy tickets for any further performances. The whole memory of the scandal would ruin what should be a nice evening out.
I agree. Everyone needs live music.
This is awful news for the company as a whole. Some productions can work very well with pre- recorded tapes, but the vast majority of the classical repertoire really needs live music to enable the dancers to express their artistry and individuality. The Northern Ballet Sinfonia is an excellent ensemble and it will be a real loss to the cultural life of the region. Such a shame!
Devastating news. What are we to do without LIVE MUSIC?
This is a total travesty. The orchestra are a wonderful group of people who love their work. #savetheorchestra
Ugh!! Another nail in the coffin
This is terrible news! A fine bunch of musicians indeed! But they lack proper leadership and have no MD at the very moment. So no surprise they get dumped right now when they are in a weak position.
Very true. The NB Exec Director was Richard Mantle’s right hand man for years, and has outsourced the mechanics of this to an employment law firm he announced on arrival. Noticeable too that at the time of writing NB have sat back and left it to employees to tell the public this is happening.
Truly appalling
Oh the poor musicians. Life is tough enough without this sort of chaos. There are major orchestras in the USA where players are still not being paid pre- COVID agreed rates. Yesterday I read that it’s the same with The Royal Opera House musicians. Guess what, the managers and support staff are all back to full pay and conditions! What the hell is wrong – don’t people understand that it’s the musicians who create the art, not the fxxxing hangers on.
So much for levelling up !
The presence of Northern Ballet in Leeds is of huge benefit to the city’s economy. NB is of course a national touring company. Both Leeds City Council and Arts Council England must step up to the plate and save this fine orchestra.
Another example of how the arts in this country are just not valued. The powers that be should be so ashamed of themselves
Another example of the north south divide. When is Hannah Horton likely to set up her protest? I will support it.
Thanks Elizabeth. It has been set up at megaphone now:
https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/northern-ballet-and-arts-council-england-keep-northern-ballet-live?source=facebook-share-button&time=1696360873&utm_source=facebook&share=3e01b308-f9d1-4e3b-b724-cbd56b1bb0cf&fbclid=IwAR3LPglldfAO2rW4ghRcYe17vZD2IBraeZJk3bbLmAnG4mXPMTQtMmIwQDY