Exclusive: ENO calls headhunters to find a conductor
OrchestrasIn a staggering admission of senior ineptitude, English National Opera has hired a headhunter to find its next music director.
Choosing a chief conductor usually arises from discussions between the artistic director, the board and the musicians. In this case there appear to be no discussions.
The headhunter is Helen Sprott, former CEO of the ailing Philharmonia Orchestra and, before that, head of music at Arts Council England. Do contact her for auditions.
Her company, AEM, has flagged up the job on its website.
this is a major breakthrough in the dark arts of the appointment with no public process AT ALL for the many many always men given jobs as head of orchestras and opera companies in every country. It should be ordered by the ACE and Boards that all music director/conductor posts should be advertised publicly like this. I have applied – the first time I have been able to do so for a music director post of any national significance. I am sure I won’t get it (not a young thing) but I am sure this public part is being run alongside the usual private conversations with big names and internal ones as well. I am very happy to be able to at least put my hat on the ring. Well done ENO in my opinion. maybe -shock horror – they might appoint a woman conductor for once. looking forward to all the usual commentators on here getting themselves worked up about that Mr Lebrecht !
“they might appoint a woman conductor for once.”
Does the name Sian Edwards mean anything to you?
Actually ENO has already had one female music director in Sian Edwards – however short her tenure may have been.
apologies and thanks for explaining ! i confess i am not English and did not realise Sian is a woman’s name !
Less about the name and more about being informed? Especially about the history of a job you’re applying for… concerning an issue you raised yourself.
It’s a Welsh woman’s name.
Sian is a Welsh name.
Siân isn’t an English name.
It’s Welsh, not English.
May the best qualified person win, or may the best qualified woman win?
Bit of a difference between publicly advertising the position and needing to appoint an independent headhunter to manage it for them.
Can’t imagine that any qualified conductor worthy of inspiring what used to be a leading company would want to come forward to oversee its decline: possibly why they are paying an agent to find someone.
Ever heard of Sîan Edwards?
This open process has surely been mandated by the Arts Council? They’re insisting on it everywhere now for ‘good governance’ by which they mean controlling it, no doubt. They’ll probably also insist on sitting in on the auditions. Poor ENO. ROH obviously said no way.
“Staggering” and “ineptitude” on the part of the ENO are hardly strong enough! Now that the Chairman is on the way out, the rest of the Board should be following close behind!
From: Richard Stanbrook.
Date: 22nd September 2024.
I’ll be controversial and suggest Sir John Elliot Gardiner for this prestigious post. Certainly, he’ll take no nonsense from jumped-up managers and from those afflicted by political correctness and “wokery.”
Despite Sir John’s reputation as a very hard taskmaster and a total unacceptance of anything less than the best, his drive and sheer enthusiasm are qualities needed by the ENO right now.
I await fanfares of harsh criticism for having the temerity to “think the unthinkable” …
At least the orchestra will be prepared. A few decades ago, a certain Scottish conductor took issue with an ENO horn player’s attitude: ‘I didn’t come down with the last shower of rain, sonny’ – WHACK!
Bryden T?
No…
Alex Gibson?
Let’s hope boxing helmets would be provided in that case
Great suggestion. They all deserve a smack in the face.
30 or 40 years ago, another opera company was looking for a new MD. JEG’s name was mentioned. The orchestra made it clear that they would not work under him.
Regardless of his toxic personality, he is 81!
The comment is out of date. To head an opera company in your eighties is awfully risky, especially when you have already shown lack of self-control.
Might have something to do with finding someone prepared to commit to a company without any serious guarantee of a stable home? We, in its putative base still await how, when,and where the reluctant emigre will make the move. And, with each passing month the rearguard campaign of resistance seems to be paying off. A reluctant company, headed by a reluctant MD hardly gives hope that ENO will make the move. Not, I might add, that this opera goer wants them to even bother. A bit like the inconvenience of the BBC who are forced to trek to Media City and can’t wait for the weekend journey back to civilisation.
Whatever happened to Sian Edwards? Did this job end her career?
Not at all: https://www.grovesartists.com/artist/sian-edwards/
She did drop off the radar… she seems to do a fair bit with Brighton Philharmonic
It was a case at ENO when she had her big moment, of rabbit caught in the headlights I recall.
She never recovered since and has taken solace passing on her experience in the hallowed turf of the Royal Academy of Music where she heads the conductors (gawd help ’em) course.
…everybody know that conducting and conductors can be easily assessed and evaluated on the basis of objective and widely accepted criteria that are clearly specified and measurable…
Exactly! Like being able to beat time, cue orchestral sections and soloists, whilst showing awareness of the history, interpretation, and reception of many a work. Not to mention inculcating amongst the players a sense of respect without fear. Other than that, it’s a breeze.
No, she’s teaching now, I think. I recall a rather fine Mussorgsky Khovanchina at ENO under her baton.
I should be the job of the Artists Director, The General Manager and orchestra committee working together.
Money for mates, but not a full season. They’re a disgrace. Shut them down.
I hope they don’t find another pair of boring safe hands like Martina Brabbins. What a waste of space and time he was while 2 CEO’s fiddled to destroy it all for their Tory peers.
Also his shabby treatment of Anthony Negus a couple of years ago.
Why is this a “staggering example of senior ineptitude “ ? For those such as NL who may not be familiar with the basics, a headhunter gathers a wide field of credible candidates for review and selection. They don’t make the final selection. So it is simply bringing in a specialist to carry out a particular HR process.
Pretty standard practice for senior positions.
I don’t appreciate the fees they typically charge, but that’s a different matter.
The Chicago Symphony CEO, board and musicians came up with the name Klaus Makela all on their own without a head hunter.
Was that good?
Without being cynical, there are all sorts of reasons that this could be happening. It could be that they wish to flaunt the number of applications to prove that the ENO is not an obsolete institution but one that many aspiring or established conductors would wish to become a part of. It could also be that given the history and general trend is for a Brit to be appointed MD, that they wish to discover a wider range of British talent and possibilities beyond just those established on major agency rosters – of which there is not a very wide range of selection. It could also be that they want to attract the sort of person who genuinely wants to apply – and by definition, is interested – rather than just appointing someone who may or may not have that much interest or loyalty to the job.
Hard to see what a headhunter can supply to justify the fee.
It is such a tight community that the list of potential candidates must surely be known to ENO.
Equally, ENO has (even these days) sufficient kudos that aspirant conductors will be aware of the vacancy and make their aspirations known.
Thus the headhunter does not offer ENO access to unknown potential candidates and if I were an applicant vetoed by an intermediary whose credentials seem, at best, limited , I should find some -ism to justify a protest.
(As a straight, white male, I’d probably have to claim gingerism or ageism.)
What a travesty.
How can this woman have a clue what the musical and personal qualities a music director needs to command a lost National Opera company when she’s clearly no musician (or leader if she’s had anything to do with ACE)
Her track record at The Philharmonia and ACE is nothing to boast about.
This all smacks of desperation..
The MD job is now seen as a poisoned chalice.
Look at the eminent UK conductors of late (Ed Gardner, Wigglesworth and Brabbins) who have all, quite rightly shunned this post for very good reason.
Those several unknown female conductors coming in this next season is because no self effacing conductor will support this failed company due to their disgraceful mismanagement and total disrespect for their musicians.
It’s possible Richard Farnes from Opera North might apply – he certainly has the hallmarks, but he should seriously think carefully about taking on this challenge, unless there are plans to smooth oil on troubled water by merging Salford’s reduced ENO with Leeds Opera North..?!
Now that Sir Mark Elder is freed from the Halle, perhaps he could be persuaded?
Bringing him and David Poutney back would really transform our National Opera once again!
I’ll apply.