Although your editorial referred to touring opera, its argument could also apply to performing arts touring in general (The Guardian view on touring opera: thwarted in its mission to bring music to the people, 10 November). From the 1970s, a specialist department within the Arts Council supported and coordinated a vibrant programme of drama and dance as well as opera, ensuring that the national companies, as well as established and new ensembles, regularly visited venues of all sizes and were seen by audiences across the country.
This department led the rollout of opera across England, including the formation of English National Opera North (which became Opera North) in Leeds, the move by Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet to Birmingham, where it became Birmingham Royal Ballet, the establishment of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s season in Newcastle and its small-scale regional tour taking Shakespeare into communities which previously didn’t have access, regular tours of classic and contemporary plays, and much innovative theatre and dance, which allowed artists to develop while being paid a reasonable fee.
Arts Council Touring worked with local authorities to save theatres in danger of becoming bingo halls, and with commercial producers, including supporting some of Cameron Mackintosh’s earliest forays into large-scale musicals. However, around the turn of the century it was broken up. Since then, while there have been various Arts Council initiatives to fund touring productions, there has been no consistent national overview resulting in a paucity of varied productions for venues of all scales to book, audiences in many parts of the country having limited access to high quality work, and economic disincentive to tour. Of course, many circumstances have changed and replication of what worked then would not be feasible now, but the country, not to mention the performing arts, deserves far better.
Jodi Myers
Former deputy director, Arts Council Touring
• Edward Lambert says opera is stuck in the past (Letters, 13 November). I can’t agree. Modern opera is not that difficult to find. In the last few years, as well as a decent smattering of the classics, I’ve seen terrific new operas, including Written on Skin, Picture a Day Like This, Anthropocene, Ainadamar and Exterminating Angel, an old-new hybrid (Opera North’s superb Orpheus), and probably half a dozen other recent works, such as Nixon in China. All were featured in the Guardian, by the way. Hardly “rare as hen’s teeth”.
I do agree that there’s a problem of perception. Operas are not cheap – but when I tell friends I’m off to the opera, and get that “Ooh, er…” response, I reflect that West End musicals and Premiership matches are often more expensive. And I agree that operas do favour metropolitan theatres – so the activities of companies such as the excellent English Touring Opera should be encouraged.
Nicholas Reckert
Richmond, North Yorkshire
• Edward Lambert is absolutely correct that contemporary works can reinvigorate the genre. Swansea City Opera’s new chamber opera, “Shoulder to Shoulder” is currently touring small venues in Wales. Inspired by the experiences of members of Men’s Sheds Cymru, the music and libretto speak directly to the audience and are moving and uplifting in turn.
Jane Harvey
Monmouth
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