Christmas

It is well known in our office that I am never at my best at Christmas. It is too expensive, I find the enforced jolly demeanour a bit tedious and age has rendered me less able to cope with the hangovers. I had a very nice time at the annual Christmas party of two of our donors last Sunday which included having to sing alongside two accomplished opera singers. The mulled wine being liberally distributed (which is in fact a warmed up punch) did nothing for my demeanour on Monday and the Christmas tree came under serious threat as I stumbled around the living room on arriving back home.

But nothing annoys me more than the "chuggers" (obsequious young charity collectors) at train stations who proliferate at this time of year. Approaching Fulham Broadway recently, I was accosted by one cheerily insincere fellow who asked for my name. "Don't worry about my name", I growled back at him. But he persisted, "Come on, what's your name?!".

"Ebenezer", came the reply, as I continued on my way.
"Have a nice Christmas" he called sarcastically after me. And I remembered I should go and see Simon Callow in his one man version of A Christmas Carol.

Hotting up

It is tradition in our office to begin worrying about the next season as Christmas approaches; once the new year has turned, the race to the first night is a quick one. We begin building in early March, a month that will see the very first OHP Spring Party, a delicious and very unique event (for a select few I am afraid - we have to raise money somehow!)

So much is going on right now. We have recently secured Wealth & Investment as our season sponsors for a further two years and we are a hair's breadth away from announcing our 2013 season which we hope will feature one of our most adventurous repertoire choices for some while. We published our first edition of our new magazine "Scenario" and are soon to put the preview edition to bed.

First, of course, there is Christmas to get out of the way and that means lots of carol concerts, visits to care homes and other such delights. One tradition that we have begun to participate in over the past few years is the house party of two of our supporters. It is a lovely affair with the best mulled wine (it includes brandy among its ingredients) and compels all attendees to join in with raucous and often well sung renditions of traditional carols, often in German, Latin and sundry other languages as well as English. Our hosts are most definitely concerned with our academic development!

Kefalonia Day two

Spent the morning in Agostolli, the capital of the island an where a cruise ship loaded with a thousand Italians had just docked. I got outta there fast on the back of a motorbike and set out for the famous Myrtos beach. I spent the afternoon in Sami. Which is on the other side of the island from Myrtos entirely but I now have a map and fully intend to post a picture of Myrtos tomorrow. The ride across the central mountains was, however, uplifting and whilst it strikes me that there is nothing totally unique about Kefalonia, it is nevertheless a beautiful island...with shit -very shit- road signs.

After lunch back in the capital, I returned to the hotel pool and found, to my glee, that the Little Greek Gits had vanished for the day. The cacophonous music was still there but less intrusive when I stuffed my lugholes with earphones and listened to I gioielli della Madonna. As I write, sitting at the pool bar after dinner and a chat on Skype with Sally and Fiora, Greek pop music has begun to emanate from the speakers so this might be a short blog.
In fact, that's it. I am off to bed with Lady Antonia Fraser (her book).

Kefalonia Day one

Leaving London was a double edged sword. Fiora and Sally were sorry to see me go and I will miss them. On the other hand it was pissing with rain and cold at 3 in the morning so sunshine was something to look forward to. The flight was uneventful other than I had the misfortune to be sat next to a large woman. Now, I don't mind sharing my seat (and she ensured I did) but did she have to fidget so incessantly - and from time to time have these weird and violent paroxysms that shook the entire row? I was a little horrified to notice she was sitting behind me on the transfer bus and I had visions of a juddering poolside. She fidgeted on the bus too, rocking my seat back and forth but I breathed a sigh of relief when she got off before me.

Kefalonia is pretty much like every other Greek island I have been too; lots of oleander, bougainvillaea and wispy pines. That's it more or less. The hotel pool, high on a mountain, has a wonderful view; a mile away is the Ionian and before that a plain of olive groves. Between the olive groves and the Ionian is the airport runway, which is not as depressing as it sounds since I quite like watching planes land and take off, especially when a few hundred metres above them.

Things of immediate concern; shit music played around the pool and a bunch of Greek kids playing on lilos. The lilos will be punctured by the morning so that is not too difficult to deal with. The music I understand is an ever present and will be something of a greater challenge. As for the kids themselves, I don't think they quite realise the danger they are in. But they will. Oh, they will. I have already taken a particularly virulent dislike to the older of the group - about sixteen - with bum fluff and a hair style so heavily adorned with gel it stays spiky even in water. He shouts and dunks the other kids. If he escapes without getting half drowned, the recipient of my specialist underwater and unseen punch in the solar plexus, I will be very surprised. It is a technique I developed for my deeply irritating younger cousins in Italy and it is lethal.

Hey ho, here we go!

Films and Harvest Festival

Today the deconstruction of the theatre begins. In six months we will be putting it back up. Oh well...

The weekend was taken up by Nomad Cinema and three films. They seemed to do very well and a whole new crowd were wowed by the spectacular "cinema" with the huge screen stood in the orchestra pit. But what a messy crowd! The wandering in and out of the auditorium took some getting used to as well. Give me an opera crowd any day of the week. Still, it was a great success - and is there a better place to watch "Cinema Paradiso"? (Not the director's cut, which upset me a bit). They had a band of Macedonian musicians playing chirpy folk music from the
Balkans which is of course the wrong side of the Adriatic for this particular film but it had moderately local flavour. Well done to the Nomad and maybe we will see them back again sometime.

After a short break, the office will be back into full flow in September with much to be settled before Christmas and the intensity of the New Year. It is a short window of opportunity to confirm the details of the next build, set budgets in stone and strike deals with sponsors and supporters. And of course there are the productions to bring to life. The next year is going to be intense with not only the 2012 season to get ready but also the future structure of the company to establish, ready for the 2013 season - the contents of which will be hopefully agreed in short order.

In the immediate future, Fantastic Mr Fox goes to Alex James's Harvest Festival in Oxfordshire. I will be sunning myself atop a Greek mountain at the time but my thoughts will be with them all!

That's all folks....

So the season drew to a triumphant close with the final performance of the brilliant production of Rigoletto and I feel that all future productions, anywhere, must be forced to do the ending in the way that Lindsay Posner staged it. No arguments. Verdi got it wrong. Not that everybody agrees of course. I had a long letter yesterday from a patron who was outraged that we had "updated" (his quote marks) the opera and had subverted the composer's original intentions. I am not sure that there is a record of Verdi demanding a particular kind of production but I pointed out that the opera was written 160 years ago and the play on which it is based twenty years earlier. The correspondent did, however, think the musical standards to be very good indeed. I consider it my duty to convert patrons from having this one dimensional view of how we should produce opera. I find it hard to imagine that they would want to see essentially the same production of Rigoletto every time but it would appear so.

It has been another amazing season; one that took all the twists and turns that we have come to expect and in the early part of the summer, one that was very much a struggle. As ever, the company pulled through. An average of 98% houses is testament to the magnificent support we get from patrons and now it is on to the next two...news on 2013 soon we hope.

There is a small film festival taking place this weekend and features "Some like it hot", "Cinema Paradiso" and a new film being given a special gala screening' "First Night" which tells the story of a group of amateurs creating a production of Cosi. You can get details on our website.

Open Day

Shirt post just to say that the Open Day yesterday was a brilliant success, even with intermittent monsoon rain. Loads of people gave up their Sunday to help. Highlights; minute maestro and the chance fir lots of people to realise their dream of conducting an orchestra. The CLS nightmare of me conducting them was realised too. They have never sounded so good though... ;-)
And the scratch chorus who sang Va Pensiero was absolutely magnificent.

Spoilers...shut up!

And so the great mystery is solved; how would we do the avalanche? Rarely has an element of an opera so pre-occupied a nation! It is worth pointing out that the story is, in fact, that Wally sees the avalanche and throws herself to her death. Does the opera even call for an avalanche?

It has been a bit disappointing to see the closing element of the show revealed in some reviews because its effect at the dress, when nobody knew what would happen was dramatic on those who saw it. But that is a common theme these days; in Rigoletto, the reimagined ending has been given away several times. On that I am stridently with the director, Lindsay Posner, to such a degree that I think Verdi made a ricket of it. A genuine, if rare, case of the stage director knowing better than the composer (ooh, controversial).

As for La Wally, I think there is immense beauty at times in the production and it draws one in- spellbindingly at times.

One almost universal aspect has been approval for the opera's gorgeous score. Perhaps a reappraisal of it as a one aria opera is about to occur? Richard Morrison said in The Times that the Act four prelude is "as haunting as Mahler's First Symphony" which is praise indeed. Of course, we have been saying this sort of thing about these operas for years and it is good to see credible voices raised in acceptance of this fact. For too long, it has been as if people cannot really bring themselves to accept that there is a whole school of neglected operas that actually do feature some quite breathtaking music. If it is neglected, then there must be a good reason for it, right? Well no actually. It is usually because opera house managements all around the world are simply not inventive, knowledgeable or imaginative enough. One thing is for absolutely sure, there is an enormous appetite for it, as has been proven by our selling out La Wally and pretty much every other opera in this vein over the years. Still, why mine the repertoire of the past 100 years when you can spunk a few hundred grand on another new opera by a pop star? There was a piece in the Guardian today (a decent one, too) by a composer who wonders whether opera singers can sing pop? Why? Because he wants to write an opera and is not sure that opera singers can sing his kind of music. Write a bloody musical then and get Alfie Boe to sing it!

Still, you can always rely on us at OHP....

Holiday to Kefalonia booked. I am already worried I might hate it.

An avalanche of interest

With the opening of La Wally tonight, the question occupying everybody it seems is "how will they do the avalanche?" I have never been asked a question more often. However, whilst I am not giving anything away, I am happy to report that this is one hell of a score; inventive, never standing still, never stagnating, rich, sumptuous and oh so Wagnerian at times but at others gorgeously Italian. Anybody coming to see it should pay very close attention to the orchestra. That isn't to say that the cast don't sing up a storm, because they do, but it is a total experience that goes way, way beyond the famous aria. There are some very beautiful visuals too..

It is always exciting opening one of our rarities because there is such a great sense of discovery among the audience. Invariably, there is a period of contemplative unfamiliarity but as is so often the case, the brew begins to bubble and the music works it's magic. Can't wait.

Oh dear ACE

Interesting news from the Arts Coucil that 66 applications for funding in the March round were the victims of computer error when documents that formed part of the applications were not uploaded to the assessors. Some of you may recall that back then I mentioned that I believed we had suffered such an error although I don't know if we are included in the 66.
My suspicion is that 66 is a hell of a lot more than that.

To recap, we had applied for funding of our growing and brilliant Inspire Project. The ACE have five core criteria of which applicants should meet at least two. At worst, we met four of the five and at best, all of them. Because of the success of the project and because of plenty of match funding from donors, we felt it had a strong chance. When the assessor's report refusing the application arrived I was pretty flabbergasted to find that a great many of the reasons given for refusing the funding were attached to what were called "failures to provide information". This missing information included things like feedback, evidence of participation, of service user profiles etc.

Stunned, I called the assessor and expressed my surprise that she had obviously missed the very substantial annual report for the project that I had included with our application and which featured the data she required and much more besides. After a moment of perplexed silence (I swear I could hear her gulp) at the other end of the phone, she said she would call me back. Some time passed and she telephoned to insist that the document had not been uploaded. She added that in any case, it wouldn't have made a difference. I commented that having said the missing information was the reason for refusal, I found it surprising that HAD it been provided, we would still have been refused!

And that was that.

The news this morning will no doubt stir up much protest and the general approach from the ACE appears to be that none of this missing data would make any difference. A truly breathtaking statement in the circumstances.

One good thing comes out of it - my colleagues who probably thought I had mucked up the application can think again!

Inspire tickets

With the last period of booking for our Inspire tickets having passed I thought it would be a good moment to recap how we got to this point and why the system we have was introduced. First, though, a comment about the costs of calls to our 0300 number. The 0300 numbers are designed for  charities, not for profit and public sector organisations who wish to have recognisable, memorable numbers. Calls to 030 numbers are included in any bundled and mobile tariffs. Any additional minutes costs 1.5p per minute. There has been some concern that those who have had to wait on the telephone will have been charged a great deal. If you have a bundled mobile package with minutes then the call would not have cost any money other than using up minutes on that package. One caveat to that is if you are calling from aborad of course.

We introduced the telephone only system because the previous system of having them first available online, and then half online and half on the phone was unfair to those who did not have internet access. Given the nature of these tickets, it is entirely possible that some people taking advantage of them do not have access to the internet. We also stopped the ability of patrons to visit the box office since clearly those who live nearer have an advantage. Finally, we introduced caps on the number of tickets per person for the season. all of this is designed to make the Inspire tickets as fairly distributed as possible.

Clearly, people find the need to be on the telephone all day to be tiresome and we understand the frustration this causes but the demand is such that this would probably still be the case if we had 100 people on the telephones! Having said that, we are entirely unhappy that people have to spend so long on the phone and then run the risk of not being successful in acquiring tickets. If we could process calls more quickly that would be preferable then at least people havent wasted too much of their time and we recognise that.

But how to improve things? We will look at it again but be assured no matter what system we come up with, there will be many who will be dissappointed; with so many people wanting the Inspire seats that is inevitable.  We have looked at postal ballot but that feels like a retrograde step and requires a lot of cost, effort on the part of patrons and a great deal more administration. Email ballot or internet forms would help that but would people be convinced of the fairness of ticket distribution? I am more than happy to listen to suggestions.  Clearly, when offering several thousand seats at £12, there are going to be those who miss out but making it fair and easy is our primary goal.

feedback and suggestions can be sent to info(at) operahollandpark.com.

Finishing on a high

The toughest most endlessly problematic two weeks of recent years came to a triumphant closeon Saturday night when the gorgeous L'amico Fritz ended it's run in warm weather and in front of a packed out, ecstatic audience. Everybody was sad to see it ending which is the sign of a happy company and a good show. The reviews, culminating in a fabulous one in the Sunday Times said everything that needs to be said; "this was vintage Opera Holland Park".

Naturally, with the recently arrived hot weather comes the threat of rain and so it is that today we expect torrential downpours later on. The exciting Figaro and La rondine are working in the theatre this week so hopefully it will be brief.

This week is also about meeting and assessing companies who want the job of helping us set up as a private company and charity - a development we are currently exploring. Exciting times ahead...

Web worries

I am struggling with a sore back today so will seek out the magic hands of a Chinese doctor who I call Dr Death. When driving his thumbs into your spinal cord he intones gravely that the instant pain you suffer is because either of your organs is not functioning well. It isn't because he has just reduced your spine to mush of course.

Anyway, I am contemplating removing all Google alerts. I get links to obscure websites who talk about OHP...some reporting on all manner of erroneous facts. One gentleman who left a review on Trip Advisor said he had enjoyed it immensely and that he thought the local people must have been keeping it to themselves because there are no reviews on us anywhere! If someone fancies registering with TA in order to point out that we are quite well reviewed I would be grateful.

Outfox-ing the weather

Well what a weekend. Two performances of Fantastic Mr Fox had to be moved to the deck inside the theatre because of the threatening clouds. One of them was for Liccy Dahl and supporters of the Dahl charity so we were disappointed they didn't get the full version. However, it proved to be a good call because within minutes of kicking off a storm of biblical proportions broke right above us delivering hail and the sort of torrential rain you usually see in the tropics. James and I, soaked through in suits, could be found trying to stem the tide of water running into the deck with yard brooms. We are nothing if not an egalitarian company. It was a Herculean effort by all concerned and the show went on. Another performance later in the day and another yesterday passed off with little dramatic weather intervention. We really must be out of our minds.

This week we look forward to the final performances of Don Pasquale and Fritz before Figaro and Rondine move into the theatre next week. Exciting times...again.

Week won

So the first week of OHP 2011 ended with a lovely fundraising event at Chickenshed in north London - for fitting it in James deserves a medal. It was very unusual for us to do such a thing both in that place and at that time and a very full evening, suffused with great humour and informality, delivered opera to what seemed like a lot of newcomers. And the young thesps of Chickenshed did themselves proud as they showcased the results of this week's workshop (yes, time was found for that too!) Congrats and thanks to all.

Back at OHP itself we have had an emotional and brilliantly successful week with both Don Pasquale and L'amico Fritz opening to fantastic reviews in general. With the weather turning chilly it hasn't been easy for them all...nor for us! Investec Wealth & Investment had their first event too which went terrifically well and we met some lovely clients who found the whole experience a delight. They are a really enthusiastic and imaginative sponsor and we simply need more companies like them to underpin the work of the arts in this country.

It has also been a week in which hundreds of new opera goers have enjoyed L'amico Fritz on the Opera Challenge and as occupiers of our £12 Inspire seats which is ironic since good old Alfie has been in the press again droning on about his working class roots and how all of us in the world of opera look down on him. Bless.

The vagaries of scheduling meant that we have had a ratio of three to one performances of Don P and Fritz so we look forward to the more balanced week. Anna Leese is shuttling between Cardiff Singer of The World and Fritz so a tiring week is in store for all. If you are coming in to the shows, we shall see you there. A word of advice; the Met Office and the BBC appear to be making up their forecasts as they go along. I cannot tell you how catastrophically bad and inaccurate their reports have been. Truly awful and inaccurate to the point of absurdity.
Listen to me.....if it is sunny and warm, bring a coat or blanket.

Up and galloping

Tuesday night saw us get underway with Don Pasquale...a fantastic reaction from the audience and a respectful one from the press so far with occasional florid praise from certain quarters. Lots of crits to come so we shall see what picture merges. Nevertheless, there is some wonderful singing and comedy gold to be had.

Patrons have been full of praise too, for the theatre  and the large zebras (yes, zebras) look surreal and beautiful and give quite a few shocks as people round various corners! I am growing to love our zebras and at the Fritz dress last night, I barked at two young people who approached them menacingly to have their photos taken with one of them. Don't touch the  zebras!

Speaking of the Fritz dress....well, I know I get emotional about these things and that this repertoire pushes all my buttons but it really is gorgeous. It is delightful for sure, but it has real heart when it matters. And the music....inventive, emotional, huge at times. Stuart Stratford and the CLS rendered the intermezzo thrillingly and powerfully. As for Anna Leese....I think I am going to let you all decide on that one.....but it is a treat, as is Eric Margiore as Fritz, making his London debut. A smashing reaction from the dress rehearsal audience gives us great hope and we cannot wait.

Almost there

I haven't completed this blog for a wee while...the wedding intervened and things have been hectic at the theatre. It looks in great shape and having the orchestra in the new pit has been great although of course giving them such a bright new toy has led to further expectation! Two sitzprobes have been a joy when it comes to the kind of sound we can now produce.

Both of the first productions look terrific. Stephen Barlow's take on Don Pasquale is as well observed as ever and cuts right to the heart of the piece. Annalise Miskimmon's Fritz is delicious fun and throughout both there is some top class singing. Richard Bonynge is bringing masterful delicacy and insight to the music of Donizetti and Stuart Stratford, fully engaged as he is on his Mascagni odyssey, is drawing all the heart and soul from Fritz...including some revelatory detail that I had previously allowed to pass me by; there really is some quite astounding invention in Mascagni's writing.

This weekend is all about cleaning, sprucing up, raking, clipping and flourishes of invention. And then we are off. Wish us luck.

Spliced

So I finally tied the knot with Sally on Saturday. We had a wonderful day surrounded by friends and family. Sally looked gorgeous and Fiora behaved herself, even managing to sleep in the corner of the party for a couple of hours. Things got a little blubby at times and I managed to let the word "shit" slip out during the vows but I had a good excuse. Don't think the registrar was too impressed though. My children did me very proud; Lea gave a speech that, had I been wearing any, would have ruined the mascara and Gianluca sang and played a few songs brilliantly. Sally's brother delivered words from her Dad and sister. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Well neither of mine were.

So it is back to the season build up with the company moving into the theatre with sets arriving to be built soon. The lace is looking better than it ever has so a big round of applause for Kasete Skeen, our operations manager. Things are really taking shape in the rehearsals with two happy companies and great reports. Not long now.

Curtain up

The traditional curtain raiser to the season - the "Prelude" - took place last night with a big turn out of friends and supporters for an evening of fantastic music with singers from the upcoming season. There we some really impressive performances from all of them. It was lovely to see two representatives of Investec Wealth & Investment as well, both attending what is essentially the first event of their sponsorship. It is an event that always feels as though you amongst friends in the very real sense and we are lucky to have such dedicated supporters. Richard Bonynge took time out from rehearsing Don Pasquale to join us and it is most encouraging to hear how positive he is about the production and cast. There is likely to be some fragility in the office today.

James and I are off to record an interview with Ed Seckerson of the Independent for transmission on their website. Links to follow.

Messy

A week of press interviews and photographs beckons.
At the theatre kilometres of cable with pretty lights attached to the ends is being laid and everything seems to need painting. Whilst almost complete, the place still manages to look like a bomb site (well, the house is a bomb site of course!) The continuing good weather helps the cause no end but this being Britain there is always a fear that you end up paying for it at some point along the line. We spend such a lot of time working on the aesthetics of the place - a curious intent I sometimes think, since we are an 'outdoor' venue. I often wonder if I am substantially more concerned about such things than our audience. We had a good site visit with representatives of our new sponsor Investec Wealth & Investment on Friday. They thought the place looked great whilst I spent the whole time apologising for the mess it was in. Perhaps it is best that way?

The pits

With two productions in full rehearsal now, time is running out on the theatre build. It is good to report, then, that we are nearly finished with only the beautification (and a mammoth clean)to come. The biggest aesthetic change this year that most will notice is a lovely new orchestra pit and floor to the front of the seating. Deeper, with sweeping curves, it is a very significant development, giving conductors a more condensed and focused orchestral set up. Conducting will feel less like watching a tennis match now. We have also introduced a riot of colour into the site with lots of new planting and some new exotically filled pots to come. The frilly shirts are out again.

Artistically, the first two productions are very strongly cast with two brilliant directors at the helm so hopes are high. L'amico Fritz really is a lovely way to spend a summer evening and Stephen Barlow has some great ideas about Don Pasquale. Here's hoping for a splendid start to the season.

Conspiracy theories

The idea that a President of the US needs to produce his birth certificate is bewildering. I l like conspiracy theories, even though I usually think them all to be lunacies. It is fun trying to make them fit the outcome that is desired.
I have a conspiracy theory about Opera Holland Park too. I like to fantasise that there is a large contingent in the world of opera who don't like us very much. Like all good CT, there is often one or two things that reinforce the theory; like a recent national newspaper arts editor who decided there would be no reviews of our productions because we are not adventurous enough. That is true. The fact it is specious bollocks doesn't, however, mean that there is a conspiracy theory. It just means the editor in question doesn't get out enough.
There are others too. I am toying with becoming an official pariah in the world of opera, volunteering myself as a rent a quote who criticises all the unspeakable nonsense that happens in the business. One tends to avoid doing that because there is a fear that people won't like you very much if you do that....(erm, hold on. Ed.)

Anyway, back to reality. The theatre is nearly finished and will soon be ready for the company to move in. I shall have a word with James about our adventurousness and enquire firmly about our plans to engage a unicyclist to direct our production of Gerhard Rosenkrone Schjelderup's 'Sampo Lapolil'. That should get that arts editor salivating.

An Everest to climb

The wavy line of progress with the build continues to frustrate. Every year we make it more efficient and quicker too, but that only demonstrates how much quicker still we could make it. One solution often produces another problem or even more enraging is the solution that only solves ninety percent of the problem! Still, we are ahead of schedule and the theatre stands tall.  The fantastic cent weather has ben a lift but means we haven't yet been able to test the new drainage we installed along the canopy line. Now we are into finishing and aesthetics so the frilly shirt needs an airing. I have some sympathy with those erecting the new house at Garsington because I remember the strange blend of excitement and dread that a brand new temporary building can give you. Good luck to them.

Yesterday morning was spent conducting a photo shoot at Leighton House with two of our leading ladies for the season - Anna Leese and Elizabeth Llewellyn. Both are very much on the rise in this business and they took to their modelling tasks with aplomb. The terrific photographer Laurie Lewis (still works with film, no lights..aaah) did the shots so I look forward to seeing the results.

Rehearsals begin on Tuesday so the office is buzzing with anticipation. I have a wedding to plan as well and a two year old to toilet train although to be fair, Sally tends to deal with the consequences more than I do.

I shouldn't complain. I just learned that a friend is near the summit of Everest on his latest jaunt. He does that sort of thing. He once won a foot slog man-hauling race to the North Pole.

Pah!

The first day of online booking was yesterday and I haven't had a perforated ulcer, punched anybody or even had to raise my voice. This is news because that first day is normally a catalogue of minor technical hitches or once in a while, major calamities. A nice orderly queue formed in our virtual waiting room (although I believe some had problems with that) and a few thousand tickets were politely sold. To be fair, I think the removal of the Inspire seats from online sale probably helped since a few thousand people would normally be bombarding the site at 10am. I understand that many are not hugely enamoured of our decision to do that but I think things will be a little fairer at least.

It has been a week of continued building. Many of the structures are up and the seating stand should be all finished and dressed by Wednesday.

I have now recovered from the martini fest I partook of with the great director of our brilliant Forza Martin Duncan. Which brings me to my latest irritation. We are all a little gruff in the office because having been nominated in five categories for the Royal Philharmonic Society awards (including one for the aforementioned Forza which was hailed as something of a miracle of it's type) we haven't made the shortlist of any. I ought to beware what I say here but suffice to say I think there is more than a strange whiff surrounding the whole process. I wonder if they are desperate to merely distinguish themselves from the Classical Brits? Still, in an attempt to elbow our way into the elite (we can't get 400k from the arts council for four performances of a new opera so we don't stand a chance in the education category) we are initiating a nose flute weekend in Castle Douglas. Albanian folk music will be the subject and a real ale from the area will be our sponsor.I think we will be a shoe-in. I'm not bitter, but the beer will be.

Back in the real world, we are very close to the start of rehearsals. So much wonderful music and drama is in store, delivered by some gloriously talented people to full houses every night. Who needs awards eh?

Odd times

Crisp, bright mornings are a good way to start the week. They also help blow away the cobwebs of a late night, incurred as a result of a very nice charity event that OHP contributed to last night. The evening's entertainment was punctuated by a fall by a guest that required the attendance of the London Ambulance Service.  Thankfully she appears to be more or less fine. I think she had been momentarily dazzled by the diamanté strip running through Sean Ruane's bow tie. He prefers to think she merely swooned at his "una furtive lagrima" but I fear I heard her muttering "I was waiting for it to spin" as she was gently lifted onto the gurney.The accident didn't, however, spoil a very nice evening for all there and we wish the charity luck.

Today the seating structure arrives and by this time next week we will have the major bones of the theatre. It is April and we are a heartbeat away from the season.

It is a very strange time in the arts world. Last week's Arts Council cull saw some very unexpected winners and losers. If I could only tell you of the weirdness of my conversations with them  - we had applied for some funding for the Inspire Project. We shall carry on with that project regardless of course, but it was odd to think that it fulfilled all five of their aims yet still fell short. More odd still is the mystery of what happened to a major document we submitted but never reached the assessor...I am not too bothered. However, getting back to the strangeness of the times, it is undoubtedly a rare moment in the fiscal life of British Arts but I have to say I have rarely had so much interest from sponsors and donors.  That might just be part of the natural development of a company whose work is getting so much attention and praise (ahem) but I think there is more to it.  It might not materialise into everything it promises but the signs are very hopeful in this regard at least.

On that same note, it was good to see Opera Northern Ireland getting a good review for their Tosca and nice to see Giselle Allen come out of it so well. Thirteen years ago when she was still quite green she fearlessly took on Mascagni's "Iris" for us. It is a tough time to launch a new opera company and one can only hope the people in that part of the world support them. The idea of a Tosca in different locations is not a new one but it appears to have worked well ...risky too!  Our Tosca of 2008 was set in the late sixties when Europe was in danger of meltdown....James and I need to discuss reviving it!

Fantastic Mr Fox rides again

Yesterday, our annual brainstorm by the river in Barnes (well Hammersmith, but Barnes sounds better) was blessed for the third year running by beautiful weather. Today the forecast is for 18 degrees. I am making the most of it since there is every chance the sun will go back into hiding for weeks. It is a very useful exercise, the away day. So much from last years ideas 'dump' has been implemented since and it helps focus the mind. Having breaks by the sun drenched Thames helps.

Our production of Fantastic Mr Fox seems to be occupying much of our time in the office at the moment because there is a ridiculous demand for it. I think we could sell performances of it until  Christmas. We have increased the number for this season already but we still have people calling us and offering to buy private performances! That is obviously a testament to Dahl of course but the real reason, I think -in our case at least- is the way in which we have set it. James made a perfect call on both that and the decision to cut the piece to a very palatable length. It is a very up close and personal production and kids really do love that. If I might say so, there is a very good little film about our production here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aww45RP9eQU

More 'stuff' arrives at the theatre everyday and the build is well and truly underway. The canopy gleams after a good scrub too..http://yfrog.com/f/h75wkvzj/

Spring cleaning

A glorious day for cleaning the canopy. And I suppose the men clambering around on top of the roof were grateful for that as it slowly dawned on them what 1200 sq metres feels like when you are scrubbing it with a brush whilst hanging from a harness. Rather them than me..
Tonight we all decamp to Christies South Ken for a Friends event with music and general jollification. We are introducing the company to lots of new people and I am very much looking forward to it.

At the end of this month we hear whether our funding application to the ACE for our Inspire Project has been successful or not. It would be terrific to get some assistance to expand this hugely successful scheme into all sorts of new areas. I can't say I'm terribly confident given the fact that so many have applied for the money in the pot but you never know I suppose. It would be the first time we ever received support from ACE so we are not, as you might say, on their radar. You will be the first to know if I am wrong to be pessimistic.

Quick update

After many months of discussion it was nice to be able to finally speak of our new sponsor, Investec Wealth & Investment. It is certainly a tough time for the arts so we can take some comfort in the fact that companies who see the value of what we do to their own business are still out there. Here is to a successful partnership. The next two years will be challenging and exciting in equal measure as we build a plan for OHP's future structure. I will of course keep you all informed!

The roof lifts off the ground today so having a sunny, still day is a bonus. Once up, the hard work to build the rest of the theatre begins in earnest and Kasete, our operations manager has much to do. The box office is extremely busy processing Friends bookings and it won't be too long before rehearsals begin.

We are all at Christies next week for a very special event to introduce the company to new supporters and friends - about two hundred of them. We have some lovely entertainment laid on and the guest list is impressive indeed, so it is an important evening for us with everybody front and centre for the cause.

On the home front, Fiora is being toilet trained. For parents, no further explanation is necessary.

Spring HAD sprung

Two or three recent days had lulled us into thinking the seasons were turning. Crocuses and daffodils were poking their heads above ground and there was discernible warmth in the sunshine but alas, no more as icy wind and rain return. In one week the roof arrives and in two and half weeks it will be there in it's full spectacular glory.

My morning has shifted from chuckling at Arsenal's misadventure to the wonders of Puccini's La Fanciulla del West. There is no link, just the myriad offerings of an iPad - news, music and flick football too (PikPok's 'Flick Kick' in case you were wondering).

La Stupenda remembered

The Thanksgiving service for Dame Joan Sutherland took place at Westminster Abbey yesterday and a gathering of the great and good from the world of music seemed a fitting remembrance. Richard Bonynge's reading was very touching and delicate and it was appropriate to have the orchestra of the ROH, with Pappano conducting, providing the pre service music and accompaniment. I still think there ought to have been a ritzy send off concert for her at the house itself but the Abbey is grand enough.

I did feel for the singer who performed a couple of lovely pieces; at one point she had to immediately follow on from the playing of a recording of La Stupenda singing Casta Diva. That's pressure but she sang admirably. It was strange to hear the recording floating through the huge Abbey with what must have been a couple of thousand people hushed in contemplation. I was struck by the natural theatricality of it and theatres don't come much bigger or more dramatic than that huge church. The music was impeccably chosen and performed and all in all I think Richard will be immensely pleased with a dignified and majestic service. We look forward to Don Pasquale with him in June.

At the close of the service, it took a while to get out because of the old friends and colleagues one kept bumping into. I was sitting next to David Whelton of the Philharmonia Orchestra, a very nice colleague with whom I had some dealings a few years back. He has one of the more interesting culinary interests; he is a connoisseur of the tomato which being of southern Italian stock I find highly commendable indeed. As if to prove my point, as I write this, a nearby market trader has dropped a mango which has rolled to my feet by my table. A mango is a mango whatever and wherever it is but the tomato is as varied as the peoples of the planet. I raise a glass of passata to men like David Whelton and the mammas like mine who perform miracles with it.

Back in the real world, I have issues to deal with...like French drains and dimmer racks.

Attenshun

It was a lovely evening at the National Army Museum last night where we provided some music for the opening of their exhibition about wives and sweethearts. Meeting Dame Vera Lynn, a genuine claimant to the title of 'Force's Sweetheart' was a real pleasure. Meeting Kate Adie, another legend in my eyes, was an added bonus although the instinct is to check there are no explosions behind her. Among the top brass, MOD and other guests were a pleasingly large number of supporters of OHP although I did happen across a General threatening James with a court martial if we ever turned into Glyndebourne. I could have sworn he was standing to attention at the time -and so was James. I gave out lots of business cards so I expect some instructional emails soon but if the Green Jackets turn up in armoured personnel carriers I will know that James's General has had enough.

The exhibition is very touching and there has been a lot of press for it recently - I suppose it really is 'of the moment', sadly. Good luck to them with it.

I am itching to talk about our new sponsors (I am at another museum tonight for an event with them) but unfortunately the time is not yet right - another fortnight or so should do it.

A week of events to which we are contributing. I say contributing because they are not ours but they all indicate the growing web of relationships that the company continues to develop. One is of particular significance because it is our first with our new sponsor, news of which I will hopefully be able to give soon. The other is at the National Army Museum who we are in the early stages of a relationship with. You may wonder what the Army has to do with opera but the imperatives of a museum are not too dissimilar to that of an opera company in the same borough; both are looking to engage with youngsters and to draw links between all kinds of history and culture. When you stop and think about it, you tend to find all manner of ways in which to work together.

It is only one month until we begin the build. Ambassadors and Friends begin booking this week too, which is always the most obvious sign things are on the move and although it is still cold, the light available during the day is increasing. Phones in the office light up once patrons start to receive information so Julia will have her hands full with that for a while!

2012 ahoy

It was pleasing to finally start talking about 2012 in a non Olympic way. If you missed it, we have announced four of our operas for that season: Lucia di Lammermoor, Cosi, Onegin and Falstaff. We have a new way of working planned for 2012 and there are two operas to be announced. All good stuff and Falstaff is certainly one of the greater challenges from the Verdi repertoire.

We have also been heavily engaged in the process of securing new partners and I am keen to unburden myself of some good news there as well. Such things are not just down to me so much much vaunted patience is being tested.

Annoyed

A new box office server has been causing sleepless nights. Essentially what happens is this; the network team is required to run certain bits of equipment that comply with government security regulations. This has all come about since those few data losses government suffered a couple of years ago. A few hundred millions are then thrown at replacing bits of computer equipment around the country. Our box office, which was on a two year old server needed to be changed pronto, or we would be switched off. OK, so we buy a new server, move the software to it and hey presto. That really is all there is to it. However, 14 people, about four companies, acquirers, banks and sundry other individuals become involved and you very quickly understand why government IT projects grow to huge costs and over runs. What also happens is that this army of people begin to use me as the conduit for speaking to everybody else. And of course, they have their own language too. Thousands of emails seem to buzz between us all, cc, bcc, in triplicate, most of them establishing for the sender the position of NOT being responsible for doing something or other. In such circumstances, it isn't very long before my propensity to shout and swear comes to the fore. There is one distinct blessing amid the thousand and one elements of producing opera; it is, almost entirely, a human process. Today the transfer of software finally happens (I think) but there are other elements to complete before we can make a transaction through the bank. And the bank work at their own pace too. Doesn't matter a jot that we own them either.

Loaded with promise - again

It was a good Christmas for OHP. We went out into the community armed with mulled wine and sang in a variety of places, garnering, we hope, new friends and fans. But it culminated with the Sunday Times decision to award us with the accolade of Best Opera Company of 2010.

For a company of our size and constitution, that is a hell of an award really. But it presents another problem of course; how to follow it up. There is no question that the repertoire for 2011 offers ample opportunity for fantastic work and there are some exciting prospective performances to look forward to. It would be unfair to single any out but a glance at our cast lists will provoke some thought among you. Some terrific directors are back with us too along with debutantes, always an exciting mix. I have no doubt James will make all of the right calls. But this is the beauty of what we are engaged in, the 'on paper' season holds masses of promise but at this moment in time, we have nothing but the concept of our operas. People are about to buy tickets for something that is not yet created and I find that exciting and daunting in equal measure.

The rain is back with a vengeance so it is appropriate that the first technical meeting of the year is with the canopy company. The roof, which is always the first element of the build arrives in about seven weeks would you believe? We await decisions on sponsorships and a new box office server occupies rather more of my time than I would like. But the 2011 season is starting to feel pressing and immediate, a feeling that tends to bring out the best in us.

Question Time

Tonight at Leighton House, James and I will be subjected to a gentle grilling by around 100 of our patrons. It is an annual event but this year we have spruced it up by taking it to this beautiful house and by adding a singer or two. Actually, I say 'grilling' but it is never quite as bad as that. What is fascinating are the varied views of patrons who seem to want so many different things from the OHP experience. In the parlance of democracy, the OHP customer base is a broad church. I think there is probably a bit of High Church in there too, some no church probably as well. But it is fun and often extremely informative when it comes to designing the seasons ahead and the services we provide. You can never really talk to your audience too much although quite honestly, through any season, James and I will be stopped and lectured to by hundreds of people...our patrons and Friends have never been afraid to voice their opinions.

I can recall many evenings when we stand by the stage at curtain call, audience cheers and applause ringing in our ears, when a patron will rush past and say 'wonderful production, well done!', only to be immediately followed by a glum and ferocious looking patron saying 'awful, worst thing you have ever done'. T'was ever thus I suppose.

Anyway, I am very much looking forward to tonight. If you are going to be there, be gentle with me. With James you can do what you want.

Bang

The starter gun has sounded. Dougie, our company manager, was haranguing me about lighting needs today, a sure sign things are hotting up. Heavy snow warnings are in place for London this weekend which means it must be time to encourage our audience to think about the summer, we are about to report on the first year of our Inspire Project and the new box office server needs attention. the 2012 season is a whisker away from being finalised (and announced) and meetings to see the set models of upcoming productions are imminent. Site work begins soon and the contractors will all be in for a briefing within a fortnight or so.
Charities having gala nights are coming in to discuss things and there is, as ever a this time of year, the ridiculously familiar realisation that we only have six months to go! You would think we would be used it it by now wouldn't you? Perhaps it is good we feel the pressure as opposed to having a more relaxed and calm approach. Who wants that, eh?

That was then...

The 2010 season seems a distant memory already; somebody asked me what productions we had done and I struggled to remember them all. That might be an age thing but it is more likely to have been the fact that we are so embroiled in the next one - and the one after that too. Such is the way of things in the office of an annual festival, the months between the seasons just fly by.

But 2011 is, for so many reasons a year of significance. Britain will be entering a profound period of austerity - or so we expect - and few in the arts are predicting the outcome for sponsorships, ticket sales or pretty much anything at all. This time last year, the recession was an undefined thing for many and not everybody knew how it might affect them. Now, there is some clarity in our world but the public are still waiting - certainly those not in the public sector.The theory that people seek relief from all this misery in entertainment is some reassurance for us all but it wouldn't be wise to take that for granted.

The year ended well for OHP with the Sunday Times naming us as the Best opera company of the year, a huge accolade in the circumstances. Obviously that gives us much to live up to 2011 but I have no doubt we can given the delicious programme (all Italian) and some of the artistic personnel we have on board, starting with the brilliant Stephen Barlow directing the opening production of Don Pasquale, which also sees the return of Richard Bonynge. That first night, as I have frequently pointed out in this blog, arrives with alarming speed and there is much to be done before then. The theatre will see further improvements and changes (that never seems to stop!) and our impact on the aesthetics of the park will be further upgraded which will keep Barrie, the parks manager, happy. Talking of our presence in the park, it is also lovely to inform that Fantastic Mr Fox will be back on the yucca lawn too.
So plenty to keep us busy through January and into the Spring (remember that?)