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 !
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!
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?