ROYAL OPERA HOUSE Annual review 2007/08 Progress Annual review 2007/08 review Annual Royal Opera House Covent Garden London WC2E 9DD Telephone +44 20 7240 1200 www.roh.org.uk Managing editor, Dan Foulkes for Milknosugar Printed by Superior Registered Charity no. 211775 ROH_review_0708.qxd 25/7/08 11:55 AM Page 2 Royal Opera House Annual Review 2007/08 ROH_review_0708.qxd 25/7/08 11:55 AM Page 4 Royal Opera House Annual Review 2007/08 Contents Board of Trustees Finance and Audit Committee Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas - Chairman Sir David Lees - Chairman The Countess of Chichester Sir David Clementi Contents Sir David Clementi Thomas Lynch Marco Compagnoni (to December 2007) Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas Peggy Dannenbaum Nicholas Prettejohn Sir David Lees Simon Robertson Sir Frank Lowe Simon Robey Thomas Lynch Dame Sue Street Chapter Title Page No Professor Margaret Maden Nicholas Prettejohn Remuneration Committee The year at a glance 6 Simon Robertson Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas - Chairman Simon Robey Sir David Clementi Chairman’s statement 10 Dame Gail Ronson Sir David Lees Chief Executive’s report 14 Dame Sue Street Thomas Lynch The Lady Sainsbury (to July 2007) 1 Quality 21 Kenneth Tharp ROH2, Education and Access Committee Judith Weir Professor Margaret Maden - Chairman 2 Scope 41 Peggy Dannenbaum Executive Management Team Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas 3 Participation 61 Tony Hall - Chief Executive The Lady Sainsbury (to July 2007) Monica Mason - Director, Kenneth Tharp 4 Enrichment 77 The Royal Ballet Judith Weir 5 Innovation 89 Antonio Pappano - Music Director, The Royal Opera Nominations’ Committee 6 Finance 101 Caroline Bailey - Director of Marketing Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas - Chairman Elizabeth Bridges - Director of Personnel Sir David Clementi 7 Reference 112 Deborah Bull - Creative Director Sir David Lees Ruth Jarratt - Director of Policy Development Thomas Lynch Peter Katona - Director of Opera Casting Professor Margaret Maden Sarah Kemp - Director of Finance Nicholas Prettejohn and Business Affairs Simon Robertson Christopher Millard - Director of Press Simon Robey and Communications John Mortlock - Deputy Director of Finance Development Committee (Company Secretary from February 2008) Simon Robertson - Chairman Elaine Padmore - Director of Opera Michael Bienes Hazel Province - Orchestra Director David Brownlow Paul Reeve - Director of Education The Countess of Chichester Anthony Russell-Roberts - Administrative Marco Compagnoni (to December 2007) Director, The Royal Ballet Peggy Dannenbaum Amanda Saunders - Director of Development Thomas Lynch Governance and Management John Seekings - Director of Operations Victoria Mather The direction and control of the Royal Opera House is determined by the and Company Secretary Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas Simon Robey Board of Trustees,which meets at least seven times per year.The role of the Board Dame Gail Ronson is to approve and monitor the strategy of the Royal Opera House and ensure that Roland Rudd it is being effectively managed. The Trustees are also responsible for the appointment Sir James Sassoon of the Chief Executive, as well as the most senior management positions.The Chief Bernard Taylor Sir Brian Williamson Executive, with the assistance of the Executive Team,manages the day-to-day Lady Young of Graffham operations of the Royal Opera House. 4 5 ROH_review_0708.qxd 25/7/08 11:55 AM Page 6 Royal Opera House Annual Review 2007/08 The year at a glance Performance Access 294 13,023 performances on the main stage children attended our schools’ matinees 250 48% performances on other stages of patrons were new to the ROH 696,791 22,025 attended performances students registered for our Standby scheme Reach Finance 400,000 £2+ unique users visited our website monthly raised for every £1 received as public subsidy 385,000 9th ROH podcasts were downloaded successive balanced result 24,225 £13.25m+ people watched our work generated by online ticket sales on 18 screens nationwide 6 7 ROH_review_0708.qxd 25/7/08 11:55 AM Page 8 MILESTONES OUR ACHIEVEMENT IS MEASURED IN OUR AUDIENCES’ RESPONSE. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO DO. ‘When the music and dancing ‘Liked everything, especially trying Audience for the makes hair stand up on the back on the clothes and having a photo Das Rheingold Student Performance of your neck - you know it’s to take home.’ NINE-YEAR-OLD good!’ DAWN HAZLEWOOD AUDIENCE MEMBER ‘My seven-year-old loved it! We ‘None of the men who came on will definitely be coming back!’ Saturday had even been to a MARCIA ALLEN ballet before – they all now have a very different opinion ‘I loved everything, from the of what ballet really is.’ building, staff, organization, ballet… VIVIEN OAKES until the end.’ CHAUHAN CHAN ‘A totally moving experience ‘It was very friendly, great which everyone should atmosphere, very accessible.’ experience at least once CHRIS DOVE in their lifetime.’ ‘I was made to feel very JOHN WELLS welcome by all your staff.’ MRS R K LINES, HANTS ‘It was fantastic, refreshing to see whole families.’ MRS DE LA WARR ‘I organized a group from Great Chart school many of whom had ‘An amazing day, how fabulous never been to the ROH before. encouraging young people They were all amazed and said through affordable performance.’ they would come again.’ HELEN POTTER KAREN JOHNSON ‘The whole experience was very ‘I hadn’t realized how much was affordable – an important available beforehand for which consideration for pensioners.’ tickets were not required.’ VERA HUNTER RACHEL SAMENGO-TURNER ‘It was the most wonderful ‘It was good to see the children experience and I am hooked now. so involved and inspired by the I had thought that opera was leaders of the activities.’ boring and pompous before!’ CAROL SAKER IAN COOPER Milestones ROH_review_0708.qxd 25/7/08 11:55 AM Page 10 Royal Opera House Annual Review 2007/08 Chairman’s statement It is a truism that Art has never been able to exist Chairman’s statement in a vacuum; it has always relied on sponsors and benefactors to enable it to flourish. The Royal Opera House could be seen as a partnership between In the cycle of the Royal Opera House nothing those who make Art and those who love Art. stands still. Many things change but there are also It receives an exceptional level of support from constants – excellence, support and commitment. many extraordinarily generous individuals and The Royal Opera House has enjoyed another organizations. There are certain foundations and successful year artistically, financially and in companies who choose to give to many areas of our achieving many of its strategic audience-centred work, year after year. Their sustained generosity is objectives. Once again it has been the beneficiary hugely significant in allowing the Royal Opera of unstinting support, from a variety of different House to function at the level that it does. For this sources, which helps to erect the scaffolding I thank The Dalriada Trust, Freshfields Bruckhaus around which this organization constructs its art. Deringer, The Genesis Foundation and Huntswood. This directly enables audiences to see some of the Numerous individuals make a similarly concerted most memorable performances of opera and ballet effort to give regularly to enable and empower our that the world has to offer. work: Dianne and Michael Bienes, Peter Borender, This year sees some changes in the composition Peter and Fiona Cruddas, Marina Hobson MBE and of the Board of Trustees. Anya Sainsbury, Sir David The Hobson Charity, Tamar and Bob Manoukian, Lees and Marco Compagnoni have all contributed Mr and Mrs Alec Reed, Simon and Virginia considerable time to the Royal Opera House Robertson, and The Robey Family. They play a providing their perspective and expertise, and I central part in assuring that the Royal Opera House would like to thank them as their periods on the remains world class. In terms of individual Board conclude. As one term ends, another begins productions, Jewels was made possible by Van Cleef and I welcome Peggy Dannenbaum as the new & Arpels and Coutts & Co; the Estate of Dr John Chairman of The Friends of Covent Garden who Hayes underpinned Electric Counterpoint; The Jean will, I am sure, bring so much to the role. Another Sainsbury Royal Opera House Fund helped to new appointee is John Mortlock as the Royal Opera fund Tales of Beatrix Potter and Xstrata supported House’s Company Secretary, a position in which his Die Zauberflöte. Families and young people were experience as Deputy Director of Finance will given opportunities through the generosity of Lord doubtless serve him well. and Lady Laidlaw of Rothiemay who supported 10 11 ROH_review_0708.qxd 25/7/08 11:55 AM Page 12 Royal Opera House Annual Review 2007/08 Chairman’s statement our Family Performances, whilst Zoe and Martin I have relished the opportunity to contribute in a Harris chose to give to our Schools’ Matinees. direct fashion to the wellbeing of the Royal Opera Paul Hamlyn Performances and Hamlyn Club, and House, and been fortunate to be in a position to do the BP Summer Big Screens have yet again helped so. I feel that in the capable hands of its leaders - to open our doors even wider to audiences Tony Hall, Monica Mason, Antonio Pappano and everywhere. To all of the above I would like to offer the Executive Team - this world class home of opera our sincere thanks. and ballet will continue to flourish and to offer an The Royal Opera House is the UK’s national focus unmatched experience to its audiences. I hand over for opera and ballet and its peerless reputation is an the baton of Chairman to Simon Robey who has asset to our country in numerous ways. Arts Council been on the Board of Trustees for the past two years England and the Department of Culture Media and knows this place intimately.