It’s Black Thursday in Wales as opera chorus shrinks to 20
NewsYesterday was the deadline for applying for voluntary redundancies at Welsh National Opera. From today, cost-cutting officials will be issuing redundancy notices with the aim of reducing a once-proud chorus to a payroll of twenty.
The guilty parties are Arts Council England and its puppet in Wales.
Christopher Ball, a founding member of Friends of WNO, has provided bursaries for 30 years to 35 singers. Now he says, ‘why did I bother?’ He’s cutting WNO out of his will.
Surely Commander Stuart Murphy could be brought in to save them like she saved ENO?
It’s shocking combined with the news about the RWCD Junior Department. I thought Wales was supposed to be the Land of Song not Land of Sacking!!
It might make that triumphal scene from Aida look a bit silly. Probably take a couple of extra choristers to put on an elephant outfit. Rental elephants aren’t cheap, you know.
A tragedy. WNO chorus have always been marvellous.. It is a travesty that it is now going to be a glee club not a wonderful wall of sound. Shame on the Scrooge’s whoslashedthe funding
What a sad story. The death of a great company that once played Pellias in Paris under Boulez, Verdi in Milan and the Ring at Covent Garden. No more. Very sad
This is beyond appalling. That it should come to this for a superb company with an international reputation for the highest artistic standards. Shame on the ACE and our society as a whole for allowing this to happen.
It is with so much sadness that I read about yet more cutbacks, and now, the downgrading of the mighty Welsh National Opera chorus. I worked for the WNO in the 80s when I believe it was the biggest touring opera company in Europe, filling theatres all over Britain and abroad. The pride of Wales. What a privilege it was to be a part of it. Those who are plotting the demise of such companies have little respect for culture and heritage. What an insult to the WNO who, for decades, have been producing world class shows to rival any.
Just shows what an uncultured nation U.K really is .
Try doing this to Sport ! Of course , everything gives way for Sport including cars parked illegally and dangerously all over Cardiff pavements and road markings when there is match on ,while Police don’t bat an eyelid.
Just what you can expect from our country which is going down culturally rapidly .