Exclusive: Heads are trimmed at Opera North
OperaWe have been hearing of senior redundancies at ON, which are denied. This, however, is the official line:
‘Opera North has announced this week that it has undertaken a leadership review that aims to put in place a leaner, more agile Senior Leadership Team that will refocus the company on its core purpose and strengths, and allow it to reignite growth. These changes will strengthen the company to be ready for the challenges of the future.
‘Throughout this challenging period, the company will continue to focus its efforts on reaching communities across the North of England and bringing music and the arts into the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds.’
That’s one way of stopping the squabbling at the top
Attention…management gobbledegook alert! Any organisation that talks about a review outcome making them “leaner and fitter/ agile” is dishonest. They only need to add “ We take the matter of xyz very seriously “ and
“ We are committed to abc” and you’ve got the full garbage bingo.
Shame on them. These are indeed difficult times but speak openly and honestly in plain English and you might get some sympathy.
They didn’t ask for sympathy. It was just a really quite simple statement – in response – about making the company efficient so it can continue to function properly; something other companies are failing to do by not addressing inefficiencies at management level and passing the buck to the choruses and orchestras. They don’t have to say who has been moved etc out of respect for those people. Nothing to be ashamed of.
For obvious reasons, the decision to address management inefficiencies is coming very, very late in the day in this company. Better indeed that it starts at the top though.
“We will bring more people to the opera by employing fewer people to do it.”
The point of a restructuring exercise at Senior Management level is to make a company more efficient, thereby protecting the frontline (in this case performing) workforce. Would you rather companies invested heavily at SM level instead? ENO have had criticism for doing just that.
The challenge facing the new general director is to ensure that Opera North does not suffer the same fate as has been handed to ENO and WNO.
Marvellous isn’t it! The UK, population approaching 70 million, now has fewer full time opera companies than does Croatia, population 3.8 million.
Very sad news! i hate to see opera companies in the UK endure government and benefactor cuts! Artistic expression, through the art of singing, is exciting, and encourages a nation’s artistic growth! Many listeners of opera are emotionally uplifted, watching and hearing this art form on stages, throughout the UK! I hope that financial and personnel cuts, at Opera North, does not compromise artistic quality!