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Royal Opera House reveals new season on eve of chief executive's departure Royal Opera House reveals new direction on eve of chief executive's departure
(about 17 hours later)
Despite the fact that its chief executive is about to depart to head up the BBC , the Royal Opera House has announced a bold new direction: a strengthened commitment to making new operas "the backbone and core of who we are" – from establishing a doctorate in opera writing to staging Thomas Adès's much anticipated next work and commissioning four new operas inspired by the writings of Slovene philosopher Slavoj Zizek.Despite the fact that its chief executive is about to depart to head up the BBC , the Royal Opera House has announced a bold new direction: a strengthened commitment to making new operas "the backbone and core of who we are" – from establishing a doctorate in opera writing to staging Thomas Adès's much anticipated next work and commissioning four new operas inspired by the writings of Slovene philosopher Slavoj Zizek.
Kasper Holten, the Royal Opera House's director of opera, said that new work must become "key to who we are and to our artistic identity. We will always do Bohèmes and Traviatas, but an opera house finds its identity in the new work it stages". He said he was inspired by the example of Finland, where new opera is not a tough sell for audiences but, rather, "the season's premiere is the thing that people feel they must come and see."Kasper Holten, the Royal Opera House's director of opera, said that new work must become "key to who we are and to our artistic identity. We will always do Bohèmes and Traviatas, but an opera house finds its identity in the new work it stages". He said he was inspired by the example of Finland, where new opera is not a tough sell for audiences but, rather, "the season's premiere is the thing that people feel they must come and see."
Further projects announced include a new opera based on Iain Banks's novel The Wasp Factory by Australian Ben Frost in the 2013-14 season, and, later this year, the stage premiere of Irish composer's Gerald Barry's quickfire, hysterical opera of Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Both will be in the Linbury Studio Theatre, the House's smaller auditorium, which, said Holten, will be given an "sharper profile" than hitherto as a home for new and recent work.Further projects announced include a new opera based on Iain Banks's novel The Wasp Factory by Australian Ben Frost in the 2013-14 season, and, later this year, the stage premiere of Irish composer's Gerald Barry's quickfire, hysterical opera of Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Both will be in the Linbury Studio Theatre, the House's smaller auditorium, which, said Holten, will be given an "sharper profile" than hitherto as a home for new and recent work.
The Zizek-inspired operas are planned to reach the main stage in 2020. The philosopher has, said Holten, "challenged opera writers to write about their fears and hopes for the world now." The four composers invited to undertake the challenge are the Finn Kaija Saariaho, German Jörg Widmann , Italian Luca Francesconiand the Briton Mark-Anthony Turnage whose opera Anna Nicole, about the model and TV personality, is to be revived in the 2014-15 season. Turnage is also writing an opera for children for the Linbury, scheduled for December 2015.The Zizek-inspired operas are planned to reach the main stage in 2020. The philosopher has, said Holten, "challenged opera writers to write about their fears and hopes for the world now." The four composers invited to undertake the challenge are the Finn Kaija Saariaho, German Jörg Widmann , Italian Luca Francesconiand the Briton Mark-Anthony Turnage whose opera Anna Nicole, about the model and TV personality, is to be revived in the 2014-15 season. Turnage is also writing an opera for children for the Linbury, scheduled for December 2015.
Increasing the focus on new work, even in straitened times for arts funding, was, said Holten "the best defence for why we should have a subsidy. The biggest risk for us is not to take risks. If you let a crisis eat at your heart then you will end up being the crisis."Increasing the focus on new work, even in straitened times for arts funding, was, said Holten "the best defence for why we should have a subsidy. The biggest risk for us is not to take risks. If you let a crisis eat at your heart then you will end up being the crisis."
Thomas Adès's next opera for the main stage, after the success of The Tempest, which premiered in 2004 and was seen this autumn for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, is an adaptation of the Luis Buñuel film The Exterminating Angel , in which the guests at a dinner party are unaccountably unable to leave. It will be seen in the spring of 2017.Thomas Adès's next opera for the main stage, after the success of The Tempest, which premiered in 2004 and was seen this autumn for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, is an adaptation of the Luis Buñuel film The Exterminating Angel , in which the guests at a dinner party are unaccountably unable to leave. It will be seen in the spring of 2017.
The doctorate in opera composition is a joint initiative with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They will also jointly stage a conference on libretto writing in April. Holten said: "There are an abundance of people coming through with musical talent, but how to write a good libretto? That's an artform we don't treasure enough".The doctorate in opera composition is a joint initiative with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They will also jointly stage a conference on libretto writing in April. Holten said: "There are an abundance of people coming through with musical talent, but how to write a good libretto? That's an artform we don't treasure enough".
Holten and Pappano declined to comment on the ongoing appointment process for a chief executive to replace Hall when he moves to the BBC in March. In addition, Pappano said rumours he was set to replace James Levine at the helm of the Metropolitan Opera were "complete bollocks".Holten and Pappano declined to comment on the ongoing appointment process for a chief executive to replace Hall when he moves to the BBC in March. In addition, Pappano said rumours he was set to replace James Levine at the helm of the Metropolitan Opera were "complete bollocks".