{"id":33983,"date":"2023-10-16T13:34:57","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T11:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/?p=188954"},"modified":"2023-10-16T14:39:57","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T12:39:57","slug":"martyn-brabbins-leaves-english-national-opera-blaming-cuts","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/martyn-brabbins-leaves-english-national-opera-blaming-cuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Martyn Brabbins leaves English National Opera, blaming cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

The ENO’s music director has quit in protest at recent cuts to the company’s orchestra and chorus, and what he terms a ‘plan of managed decline’ <\/p>

By Steve Wright\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 16 October 2023 at 11:34 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Condcutor Martyn Brabbins has resigned as music director of English National Opera, citing recent and severe cuts to the ENO\u2019s orchestra and chorus.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brabbins, who took on the role of ENO\u2019s music director in 2016, said: \u2018As music director of English National Opera for the past seven years, and head of its orchestra, chorus and music staff, I cannot in all conscience continue to support the board and management\u2019s strategy for the future of the company. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2018While my feelings on this have been developing for some time, it reached its nadir this week, with the internal announcement of severe cuts to its orchestra and chorus from 2024\/25 season. In protest, this afternoon I tendered my resignation with immediate effect.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u2018Although making cuts has been necessitated by Arts Council England\u2019s interference in the company\u2019s future, the proposed changes would drive a coach and horses through the artistic integrity of the whole of ENO as a performing company, while also singularly failing to protect our musicians\u2019 livelihoods.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
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\u2018This is a plan of managed decline, rather than an attempt to rebuild the company and maintain the world-class artistic output, for which ENO is rightly famed. <\/span>I urge ACE to reassess this situation and recognise the devastating implications their funding decisions will have on the lives of individual musicians, as well the reputation of the UK on the international stage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\u2018My wholehearted thanks and support go out to the entire ENO team, especially those in the departments I oversaw. I am incredibly proud of everything we accomplished, and I sincerely hope that the company will find a path that puts exceptional artistry front and centre of its future.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\nThe ENO issued the following response: \u2018The ENO is surprised that Martyn Brabbins has decided to end his tenure as music director so abruptly.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"standard-card-new__article-title qa-card-link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/audiences-want-more-modern-concert-experience-says-rpo-survey\/\">Audiences want more modern concert experience, says RPO survey<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\u2018As a member of the ENO\u2019s senior leadership, Martyn has been party to all key discussions at all stages and the extremely difficult decisions that have to be made by the Board and Management in constrained financial circumstances.<\/p>\n\u2018After nine months of negotiation with Arts Council England, the ENO has reached a position where we are confident we can maintain a substantial level of operatic work \u2013 as opposed to the original reality of total redundancy across the entire company (following Art Council England\u2019s previous decision to remove the ENO as a National Portfolio Organisation in November 2022).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"standard-card-new__article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/english-national-opera-major-funding-cut-may-force-move-to-manchester\/\">English National Opera: major funding cut may force move to Manchester<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"standard-card-new__article-title\" href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/english-national-operas-new-home-outside-london-five-cities-being-considered\/\">English National Opera\u2019s new home outside London: five cities being considered<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAs recorded in Board minutes, an all-staff meeting and in correspondence with Management and the Board, Martyn agreed that the position reached with Arts Council England in July 2023 provides a workable outcome. As the ENO\u2019s musical leader, we are disappointed that Martyn has chosen to resign rather than support the company by engaging with the process of creating a sustainable future for the ENO.\u2019<\/p>\nUnder Brabbins\u2019s tenure, the ENO has mounted a string of well-received productions of works including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/benjamin-britten-composer\/\">Britten<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/peter-grimes-britten\/\">Peter Grimes<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/richard-wagner-2\/\">Wagner<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/guide-wagners-das-rheingold\/\">Das Rheingold<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/leos-janacek\/\">Jan\u00e1\u010dek<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s The Cunning Little Vixen, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/mozart\/\">Mozart<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/mozarts-marriage-of-figaro-guide\/\">The Marriage of Figaro<\/a><\/strong> and<\/em>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/best-recordings-mozart-magic-flute\/\">The Magic Flute<\/em><\/a><\/strong>, and many more.<\/p>\n<section class=\"highlight \"> <div class=\"highlight__content editor-content\"> \n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/new-documentary-about-fanny-mendelssohn-to-be-released-in-cinemas\/\">New documentary about Fanny Mendelssohn to be released in cinemas<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/julian-lloyd-webber-calls-for-end-to-one-to-one-music-tuition\/\">Julian Lloyd Webber calls for end to one-to-one music tuition<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/london-philharmonic-orchestra-launches-lpo-under-30s-ticket-offer\/\">London Philharmonic Orchestra introduces cheaper tickets for younger audiences<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/bristol-beacon-announces-its-new-season-following-five-year-closure\/\">Bristol Beacon announces its new season following five-year closure<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The ENO’s music director has quit in protest at recent cuts to the company’s orchestra and chorus, and what he terms a ‘plan of managed decline’ 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ENO's music director has quit in protest at recent cuts to the company's orchestra and chorus, and what he terms a 'plan of managed 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