The stripped-back state of the arts in the UK

The stripped-back state of the arts in the UK

Orchestras

norman lebrecht

September 19, 2024

Today, Northern Ballet is performing Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon without its orchestra.

Two of the nation’s core arts institutions have been stripped bare by Arts Council England.

This is not what Maynard Keynes envisaged.

ACE must be reformed from top to bottom.

Its CEO Darren Henley tweets every night from a different venue outside London saying how wonderful things are under his aegis. He needs to spend more nights at home, counting his redundancy pay.

Comments

  • Bernard says:

    Darren is a Pygmy compared to many of his predecessors. He’s presided over the worst period in ACE’s history. He should be judged very harsh by anyone with an interest in supporting the arts and keeping our great artistic enterprises flourishing and shown the door.

  • PS says:

    Big new classical albums get released, and they get no customer ratings. One-star reviews would be bad enough… but less than five people who care to rate them at all? How small is our club now? Is Apple Classical a complete failure? You did predict the downfall. Is this it?

  • Terence says:

    Never mind the quality, feel the (band)width!

    Worse to come I suspect in Ms Reeve’s budget: so many wanting to suck on the public teat.

  • Myles says:

    Remaining departments at NB are skilled, work hard and deserve recognition. Of course they want NB to survive even without the orchestra, are joining forces and are likely congratulated by ACE for their willingness to “adapt.”

    The social media posts praising the production from NB and RSC staff and their friends and family members can also be understood.

    But they also must know their time will also come, and not expect anything different from musicians when it does.

  • Observer says:

    This isn’t the first time a dance compnay has performed with a recording.
    Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company have been doing it for years and are currently touring the 30th Anniversary acclaimed production of his all male Swan Lake to a recording on tour but using a ‘live orchestra over Xmas when in London.
    Sadly nothing about this is mentioned on advance publicity or when booking expensive seats.
    Mind you, most of the audience who go to these shows probably don’t care but you wonder how New Adventures Ltd get away with avoiding the Musicians Union intervention and prevention to ‘Keep Music Live.?!

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