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English National Opera announces a season to reduce debt English National Opera announces a season to reduce debt
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Against a backdrop of the economic downturn and funding cuts, English National Opera has announced a new season it hopes will pull it clear of a £2.2m deficit. Against a backdrop of the economic downturn and funding cuts, English National Opera has announced a new season it hopes will pull it clear of a £800,000 deficit.
The 2013-14 season – a mixture of what the company hopes will be sure-fire hits and more challenging productions – includes a new production of Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini by former Python Terry Gilliam; a film-opera by art superstar Matthew Barney called River of Fundament; and the much anticipated premiere of a new opera based on Sophocles' Oedipus trilogy by British composer Julian Anderson.The 2013-14 season – a mixture of what the company hopes will be sure-fire hits and more challenging productions – includes a new production of Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini by former Python Terry Gilliam; a film-opera by art superstar Matthew Barney called River of Fundament; and the much anticipated premiere of a new opera based on Sophocles' Oedipus trilogy by British composer Julian Anderson.
It will be Gilliam's second outing at ENO, after the success of his 2011 production of The Damnation of Faust, also by Berlioz. Speaking in an ENO interview, Gilliam said: "I had beginner's luck last time: now let the truth be told." On his empathy with Berlioz, he said: "He was wonderfully ahead of his time, crazed, had too many ideas, was spectacular, shameless: I can identify with him."It will be Gilliam's second outing at ENO, after the success of his 2011 production of The Damnation of Faust, also by Berlioz. Speaking in an ENO interview, Gilliam said: "I had beginner's luck last time: now let the truth be told." On his empathy with Berlioz, he said: "He was wonderfully ahead of his time, crazed, had too many ideas, was spectacular, shameless: I can identify with him."
According to artistic director John Berry: "We may be short of money but we are not short of artists who want to make ENO their home." He added that the coming spending round would be "crucial for all of us". Artistic director John Berry said: "We may be short of money but we are not short of artists who want to make ENO their home." The coming spending round would be "crucial for all of us".
ENO fell into deficit in 2011-12 because of poor box-office returns: only 71% of seats were filled across the year compared with 92% at the Royal Opera House. It also raises much less through fundraising than, for example, the Royal Opera – partly, said Berry, because ENO lacks the facilities of the sister house to devote to fundraising and entertaining donors. Alongside the flagship new work, there is also a handful of what ENO considers safe bets in terms of attracting audiences and box-office income: tried-and-tested revivals of popular productions such as Anthony Minghella's vision of Madam Butterfly, a third outing for Philip Glass's Satyagraha, directed by Phelim McDermott of Improbable theatre, and a return of Penny Woolcock's spectacular production of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers. ENO fell into deficit in 2011-12 because of poor box-office returns: only 71% of seats were filled across the year compared with 92% at the Royal Opera House. It also raises much less through fundraising than, for example, the Royal Opera – partly, said Berry, because ENO lacks the facilities of the sister house to devote to fundraising and entertaining donors.
The new season also includes some fresh interpretations of the classics: Katie Mitchell is directing a new production of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte, with a libretto adapted by the celebrated playwright Martin Crimp; actor and director Simon McBurney will take on Mozart's The Magic Flute; and Richard Jones will direct Handel's Rodelinda, which he has described as being "about erotic obsession and masochism". Alongside the flagship new work, there is also a handful of what ENO considers safe bets in terms of attracting audiences and box-office income: tried-and-tested revivals of popular productions such as Anthony Minghella's vision of Madam Butterfly, a third outing for Philip Glass's Satyagraha, directed by Phelim McDermott of Improbable theatre, and a return of Penny Woolcock's spectacular production of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers.
The season includes some fresh interpretations of the classics: Katie Mitchell is directing a new production of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte, with a libretto adapted by the celebrated playwright Martin Crimp; actor and director Simon McBurney will take on Mozart's The Magic Flute; and Richard Jones will direct Handel's Rodelinda, which he has described as being "about erotic obsession and masochism".
There will also be a production of what is rapidly becoming a modern classic: Thomas Adès and Philip Hensher's chamber opera Powder Her Face, based on the scandalous story of the Duchess of Argyll; it is one of the few operas to contain a musical description of the act of fellatio. That production, by rising theatre director Joe Hill-Gibbins, will be performed in Ambika P3, a subterranean former concrete construction and testing site in central London.There will also be a production of what is rapidly becoming a modern classic: Thomas Adès and Philip Hensher's chamber opera Powder Her Face, based on the scandalous story of the Duchess of Argyll; it is one of the few operas to contain a musical description of the act of fellatio. That production, by rising theatre director Joe Hill-Gibbins, will be performed in Ambika P3, a subterranean former concrete construction and testing site in central London.
ENO posted a £2.2m deficit at the end of the 2011-12 financial year. Its chief executive, Loretta Tomasi, said that had now been significantly reduced to £800,000, according to the unaudited accounts from April 2013, and she hoped to clear it completely by the end of March 2014. ENO chief executive, Loretta Tomasi, said she hoped to clear the debt completely by the end of March 2014.
"We are aiming to have a balanced budget by the end of the 2013-14 financial year," she said. "In fact the aim is to have a tiny surplus. It's realistic and with the things we have done for the coming season we are in the best position we can be; we have worked hard to create something that can turn this round." She conceded that the company's financial situation was "tight". Historically vulnerable to financial worries, the company received a £10m rescue package from Arts Council England a decade ago. "We are aiming to have a balanced budget by the end of the 2013-14 financial year," she said. "In fact, the aim is to have a tiny surplus. It's realistic and, with the things we have done for the coming season, we are in the best position we can be; we have worked hard to create something that can turn this round."
ENO has been granted a Catalyst award from Arts Council England, which gives it £3m if the company can itself raise another £6m – 85% of which has already been secured, said Tomasi. She conceded that the company's financial situation was "tight". Historically vulnerable to financial worries, the company received a £10m rescue package from Arts Council England a decade ago.
ENO has been granted a Catalyst award from Arts Council England, which gives it £3m if the company can itself raise another £6m. Tomasi said 85% of that amount had already been secured.