English Touring Opera

Opera 80 itself became the successor to Opera For All,"Opera 80", The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, at Oxfordmusiconline.com an "umbrella organization" which had planned tours by small groups which performed to piano accompaniment. David Parry became music director in 1983.

ETO is a charitable organisation which seeks to stimulate access, understanding and appreciation of opera. The company has always presented operas in English and it currently tours twice each year to more venues than any other opera company in the UK, going to about 33 theatres, many of which would not normally host opera performances.[http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/about-eto/ About ETO] at englishtouringopera.org.uk These include London, Cambridge, Exeter, Poole, Cheltenham, Malvern, Crawley, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Buxton, Durham and Perth. It is estimated that the Spring 2012 tour included "nearly 50 gigs".

As James Conway notes:

:"One of the great new challenges is to show audiences that what we offer is different from the essentially passive experience of cinema relays – to point out how the actual live experience of listening and looking is incomparably better".Conway quoted in Thicknesse, p. 71

In Britain's economic climate of 2012, Arts Council England grants have increased by about 50% since 2002Thicknesse, pp. 71–72 and "English Touring Opera....will receive £1,577,015 in 2012/13, rising to £1,819,244 in 2014/15. This is expected to allow the company to sustain its current level of touring over the coming year, then to increase its programme of activity from 2012 onwards."[http://www.rhinegold.co.uk/magazines/opera_now/news/opera_now_news.asp "Opera Now: Latest News" online at rhinegold.co.uk/magazines/opera_now] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101011055826/http://www.rhinegold.co.uk/magazines/opera_now/news/opera_now_news.asp |date=11 October 2010 }}

Singers whose early careers began with ETO often return to perform again with the company after their careers have developed further.

Singers who have performed with ETO include Sarah Connolly, Mary Plazas, Sylvia O'Brien, Todd Wilander, Jonathan Veira, Paul Nilon, Alison Hagley and Susan Gritton. Amanda Echalaz has starred in productions of Così fan tutte, Alcina, Eugene Onegin and Jenůfa.

ETO's and Opera 80's conductors have included Nicholas Kraemer, Ivor Bolton, Stephen Barlow, Martin André, David Parry and Michael Rosewell. It has also shown the early work of such directors as Richard Jones, Robert Carsen, Declan Donnellan and Steven Pimlott.

• 2006: Autumn: Baroque Festival Tour: ETO mounted a baroque opera festival with over 40 complementary events in twelve venues throughout the UK. Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi, with Katherine Manley as Music and Euridice and Hal Cazalet as Orfeo; Erismena by Francesco Cavalli, with Andrew Slater as Erimante and Rachel Nicholls as Erismena; Jephté by Giacomo Carissimi with David Stout as Jephté and Jane Harrington as Filia; Dido & Aeneas by Henry Purcell with Joana Thomé as Dido and Patricia Orr as Sorceress; and Tolomeo by George Frederick Handel with Jonathan Peter Kenny as Tolomeo and Iestyn Morris as Alessandro
• 2007: Spring: Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Seraglio) by Mozart with Sion Goronwy as Osmin and Elizabeth Donovan as Constanza; and Spirit of Vienna (Wiener Blut) by Johann Strauss with Cheryl Enever as Franziska (Franzi) Cagliari and Nicky Spence as Count Balduin Zedlau.
• 2007: Autumn: James Conway's special interest in baroque opera was also evident with productions of Handel and Haydn. Teseo by Handel with Derek Lee Ragin as Egeo (Aegeus) and Jeni Bern as Medea; Country Matters (L'infedelta Delusa) by Joseph Haydn with Charlotte Ellett as Vespina and Jonathan Gunthorpe as Nanni; and Bridgetower by Julian Joseph.
• 2008: Spring: Susannah by Carlisle Floyd, Alexander Ingram, Conductor. Donna Bateman as Susannah Polk and Todd Wilander as Sam Polk.
• 2009: Spring: Katya Kabanova by Leoš Janáček.
• 2009: Autumn: Alongside a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Handel's death, the company celebrated its 30th anniversary[http://www.musicalcriticism.com/news/eto-30-1208.shtml "ETO announces casting for 30th anniversary tour in Spring 2009"] at www.musicalcriticism.com with presentations of Ariodante, Alcina, Flavio, Teseo and Tolomeo.
• 2010: Autumn: Promised End, a new opera by Alexander Goehr; and The Duenna, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
• 2011: Autumn: Baroque Treats included a revival of Handel's Flavio, Handel's Xerxes and Purcell's The Fairy Queen.
• 2012: Autumn: the program featured three 20th Century operas: Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten;[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/9594595/Albert-Herring-English-Touring-OperaLinbury-Studio-Theatre-review.html Rupert Christiansen, "Albert Herring, English Touring Opera/Linbury Studio Theatre, review", The Telegraph (London). 8 October 2012]. Retrieved 12 October 2012 The Emperor of Atlantis by Viktor Ullmann (paired with Cantata BWV 4 by Bach); and The Lighthouse by Peter Maxwell Davies.[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/oct/09/the-emperor-of-atlantis-review?INTCMP=SRCH Tim Ashley, "The Emperor of Atlantis – review"], The Guardian (London), 9 October 2012[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/9604558/The-Lighthouse-The-Emperor-of-Atlantis-ETO-touring-review.html Rupert Christiansen, "The Lighthouse, The Emperor of Atlantis, ETO, touring, review", The Telegraph (London)], 12 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
• 2013: Spring: L'assedio di Calais by Donizetti.
• 2013: Autumn: The Coronation of Poppea by Claudio Monteverdi; Jason by Francesco Cavalli; and Agrippina by Handel.
• 2014: Spring: King PriamRichard Fairman, [http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/16d66190-9880-11e3-8503-00144feab7de.html "King Priam, Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, London – review"], Financial Times (London), 18 February 2014 by Michael Tippett and Britten's Paul Bunyan.Rupert Christiansen, [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/10653425/Paul-Bunyan-by-Benjamin-Britten-English-Touring-Opera-review.html "Paul Bunyan by Benjamin Britten, English Touring Opera, review"], The Telegraph (London), 21 February 2014 (It was for these two productions especially that the company won the 2014 Olivier Award for 'Outstanding Achievement in Opera'.)
• 2014: Autumn: Il mondo della luna by Joseph Haydn (To be presented under the title of Life on the Moon) and Ottone by Handel.
• 2015: Spring: Il furioso all'isola di San Domingo by Donizetti (to be presented under the title of The Wild Man of the West Indies.)[http://www.donizettisociety.com/futureevents.htm Donizetti Society "Future Events" page]. Retrieved 13 June 2014 L'assedio di Calais (Donizetti) will also be re-mounted.
• 2016: Spring: Pia de' Tolomei by Donizetti [http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/pia-de-tolomei] and Iphigénie en Tauride by Gluck [http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/iphigenie-en-tauride]
• 2017: Spring: Patience by Gilbert and Sullivan.[http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/patience Patience]. Retrieved 10 December 2016
• 2017: Autumn: Dardanus{{Cite web|title=Dardanus|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/past-productions/dardanus|access-date=2021-01-19|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} by Rameau.
• 2018: Spring: Rossini: Fireworks{{Cite web|title=Fireworks!|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/past-productions/fireworks|access-date=2021-01-19|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} (a concert of Rossini arias)
• 2018: Autumn: Jonas by Carissimi and Io Tacerò (presented under the title I Will Not Speak) by Gesualdo (which were performed alongside Dido & Aeneas by Purcell).{{Cite web|title=Dido & Aeneas / Jonas / I will not speak|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/past-productions/dido-aeneas-jonas-i-will-not-speak|access-date=2021-01-19|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}}
• 2019: Spring: Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra by Rossini (presented under the title Elizabeth I{{Cite web|title=Elizabeth I (Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra)|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/past-productions/elizabeth-i|access-date=2021-01-19|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}})
• 2019: Autumn: Der Silbersee by Kurt Weill (presented under the title of The Silver Lake: A Winter's Tale (Der Silbersee){{Cite web|title=The Silver Lake - A Winter's Tale (Der Silbersee)|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/past-productions/the-silver-lake-a-winters-tale-der-silbersee|access-date=2021-01-19|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}})
• 2020: Autumn: Romances on British Poetry{{Cite web|title=Romances on British Poetry|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/romances-on-british-poetry|access-date=2021-01-21|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} and Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva{{Cite web|title=Poems of Marina Tsvetaeva|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/past-productions/poems-of-marina-tsvetaeva|access-date=2021-01-21|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} by Shostakovitch, The Poet's Echo{{Cite web|title=The Poet's Echo|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/the-poets-echo|access-date=2021-01-21|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} by Britten, Tel Jour, telle nuit {{Cite web|title=Tel Jour, telle nuit|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/tel-jour-telle-nuit|access-date=2021-01-21|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} by Poulenc and A Waterbird Talk{{Cite web|title=A Waterbird Talk|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/a-waterbird-talk|access-date=2021-01-21|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}} by Argento.
• 2021: Autumn: Amadigi di Gaula by Handel (presented under the title Amadigi){{Cite web|title=Handel: Amadigi {{!}} English Touring Opera|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/amadigi|access-date=2021-12-22|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}}
• 2022: Spring: The Golden Cockerel by Rimsky-Korsakov{{Cite web|title=The Golden Cockerel|url=https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/productions/spring-22-golden-cockerel|access-date=2021-12-22|website=English Touring Opera|language=en}}

In addition to theatre-staged operatic productions, ETO focuses on relationships with communities through education and outreach programs, and organises projects for people of all ages and abilities – from on-stage workshops to residencies in schools and performances for children with special needs. Singers and musicians on tour with the ETO often step off-stage and into the classroom of outreach workshops alongside professional animateurs.

Bradley Travis is the current Artistic Associate for Learning and Participation and overseas outreach and education programs.

One of ETO's outreach programs is Creative Residencies, in which young people with disabilities engage in week-long creative workshops. Between 2007 and 2009, these projects have included:

• House on the Moon (2007) involved a collaboration with local Wolverhampton organisations. Nearly 200 people including amateurs and professionals from every background and of every ability performed.
• Turtle Song was presented in 2008. It was a collaboration with Turtle Key Arts and the Royal College of Music which encourages people with Alzheimer's Disease or dementia to compose and sing their own songs, working alongside professional musicians.
• One Day, Two Dawns was an opera in 2009 for the Truro, Cornwall community, where a 200-member cast of local people aged 8–80 devised and rehearsed a new piece of music.
• Jack and the Beanstalk / Red Ridinghood (also 2009) was an interactive fairytale opera with pre-school students composed by Tom Smail.

In 2004 James Conway's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream was nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) "Best Opera" Award.

James Conway's production of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda was nominated for a South Bank Show Award in 2005.

ETO's projects Ice and Crossing the Styx were both nominated for an RPS Award in the Education Category in 2006.[http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/ScannedAccounts/Ends54%5C0000279354_ac_20070331_e_c.pdf Charity Commission PDF]{{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} Ice was a devised opera for teenagers, and Crossing the Styx was a devised opera for primary school students.

House on the Moon with the Wolverhampton Community Opera was nominated for an RPS Best Education Project award of 2007.

In 2010 One Day, Two Dawns with Hall for Cornwall won the RPS Education Award.

Laika the Spacedog, a new opera for children aged 7 to 11, was awarded the "David Bedford Music Education Award" in 2012. It honours outstanding music education projects, and was given by The PRS For Music Foundation.[http://www.prsformusicfoundation.com/Partnerships/David-Bedford-Music-Education-Award---English-Touring-Opera Description of the ETO winning project] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008031556/http://www.prsformusicfoundation.com/Partnerships/David-Bedford-Music-Education-Award---English-Touring-Opera|date=8 October 2012}} Laika the Spacedog also won two awards for Best Production at the Armel International Opera Festival in Szeged, Hungary in 2013. The Best Production award as voted for by the members of the International Competition Jury, and Best Production from the Jury of the University of Szeged.[http://www.armelfestival.org/en/armel-opera-competition/results/689-results-in-2013/results-2012-final.html "The Winners of Armel Opera Competition and Festival 2013"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040228/http://www.armelfestival.org/en/armel-opera-competition/results/689-results-in-2013/results-2012-final.html|date=6 January 2014}} on armelfestival.org. Retrieved 5 January 2014

In the Spring of 2014, ETO was the winner of an Olivier Award in the "Outstanding Achievement in Opera" category];[http://www.olivierawards.com/nominations/view/item221836/outstanding-achievement-in-opera/ "Outstanding Achievement in Opera Award 2014"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714160037/http://www.olivierawards.com/nominations/view/item221836/outstanding-achievement-in-opera/|date=14 July 2014}} on olivierawards.com. Retrieved 13 June 2014[https://web.archive.org/web/20140623033739/http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/news/eto-wins-olivier-award-for-outstanding-achievement/ "ETO Wins Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement"] on englishtouringopera.org.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2014 on the Olivier Awards website, it is noted that the company won the Award for "its brave and challenging touring productions....of Michael Tippett's elegant and vibrant King Priam and Britten's rarely performed operetta Paul Bunyan. The stylishly staged pair played at the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio Theatre in Covent Garden, London, as part of a UK tour."

In September 2021, ETO wrote to tell 13 freelance musicians that they would not be re-engaged for the upcoming tour, but that they would stay in a pool of artists to be drawn upon in the future.{{cite news|author1=Norman Lebrecht|date=17 September 2021|title=FRENCH ARE PERPLEXED AT ENGLISH TOURING OPERA'S REPLACEMENT OF WHITE MUSICIANS|language=en|work=Slipped Disc|url=https://slippedisc.com/2021/09/french-are-perplexed-at-english-touring-operas-replacement-of-white-musicians/|access-date=17 September 2021|quote=The shocking reverse-racism practised by ETO’s director James Conway in ‘minoritising’ his orchestra}}{{cite news|date=17 September 2021|title=English Touring Opera Drops Half of Its Musicians in the Name of Diversity|language=en|work=Digital Music News|url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2021/09/17/english-touring-opera-diversity-controversy/|access-date=17 September 2021|quote=This equates to almost half the orchestra losing their roles. Many of these members have been performing with ETO for twenty years or more}} Some of the players had been engaged in freelance contracts year after year.{{cite news|author1=GIVERNY MASSO|date=16 September 2021|title=Musicians' Union in row with English Touring Opera over 'sacking' of freelancers|work=The Stage|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/musicians-union-in-row-with-english-touring-opera-over-sacking-of-freelancers|access-date=17 September 2021|quote=some of the musicians who had received it had “been performing with ETO for 20 years or more” or had “been loyal to the company season after season”}} The players who were not engaged for the upcoming season were mid-to-late-career musicians,{{Cite web|title=When best intentions backfire?|url=https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/news-comment/when-best-intentions-backfire}} when sent the letter.{{cite news|author1=Jean Michel Pennetier|date=17 September 2021|title=English Touring Opera : quand discrimination positive rime avec pertes d'emploi|language=fr|work=Forumopera.com|url=https://www.forumopera.com/breve/english-touring-opera-quand-discrimination-positive-rime-avec-pertes-demploi|access-date=17 September 2021|quote=l’ETO a annoncé à 14 musiciens blancs, âgés de 44 à 66 ans, qu’ils ne seraient pas réengagés}} The freelance artists had hoped to return to work in the post-pandemic period.{{cite news|date=17 September 2021|title=14 white musicians are fired by an English opera house because they think there are too many white artists in the company|language=hu|work=Origo|url=https://www.origo.hu/itthon/20210917-english-touring-opera-kirugja-a-feher-muveszeket.html|access-date=18 September 2021|quote=Abban bíztak, hogy most vissza tudnak térni a munkához, és törleszthetik a felvett kölcsönöket - erre azonban nem lesz lehetőségük.}} Zhang Zhang, a violinist with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, asked if firing people because of their skin color is racism.{{cite news|date=18 September 2021|title=UK: Kulturkampf in der Oper – 14 weiße Musiker entlassen|language=de|work=Die Tagespost|url=https://www.die-tagespost.de/kultur/feuilleton/uk-kulturkampf-in-der-oper-14-weisse-musiker-entlassen-art-221327|access-date=18 September 2021|quote=“Instead of viewing the ensemble of musicians as artists who share the same passion and the same profession, they are checked and appraised according to their skin color or ethnic origin. Isn't that what you call racism?,” she told the newspaper.}}{{cite news|author1=Ronan Planchon|date=16 September 2021|title=Zhang Zhang: "Où est la justice quand on renvoie des musiciens classiques parce qu'ils ne représentent pas la "diversité" ?"|language=fr|work=Le Figaro|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/vox/culture/zhang-zhang-ou-est-la-justice-quand-on-renvoie-des-musiciens-classiques-parce-qu-ils-ne-representent-pas-la-diversite-20210916|access-date=17 September 2021|quote=La violoniste de l'Orchestre philharmonique de Monte-Carlo juge cette décision scandaleuse}} Zoe Strimpel wrote that ETO's "policy race-based contracting" was a "debacle."{{cite news|author1=Zoe Strimpel|date=19 September 2021|title=The sacking of white members of the English Touring Opera shows how woke will destroy the arts|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2021/09/19/sacking-white-members-english-touring-opera-shows-woke-will/|access-date=20 September 2021|quote=the ETO's policy of race-based contract [...] the hideous optics of the ETO debacle}} ETO indicated its policy was based on guidance from its main funder, Arts Council England.{{cite web|date=10 September 2021|title=MU Appalled to Hear About English Touring Opera's Recent Action|url=https://musiciansunion.org.uk/news/mu-appalled-to-hear-about-english-touring-opera-s-recent-action|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910175112/https://musiciansunion.org.uk/news/mu-appalled-to-hear-about-english-touring-opera-s-recent-action|archive-date=10 September 2021|access-date=24 September 2021|publisher=Musician's Union|quote=ETO have stated that they are prioritising: “increased diversity in the orchestra. This is in line with the firm guidance of the Arts Council}}

Notes

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Sources

• Thicknesse, Robert, "Company Profile: English Touring Opera", Opera Now (London), October 2012

• [http://www.englishtouringopera.org.uk English Touring Opera website]

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Category:British opera companies

Category:Musical groups established in 1979

Category:Touring opera companies