Page 639 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

"At present, there are 1.6m people in the city region who are not currently served by opera
despite the presence of a strong regional interest," the letter, penned by Metro Mayor Steve
Rotheram and Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson, states.

"Touring performances by the Welsh National Opera and Glyndebourne have regularly been
very popular, though their withdrawal now means that there is no opera company serving this
part of the North West, stretching beyond our city region and into areas such as Cheshire.

"Indeed, among shortlisted areas, ours is the only one currently lacking any opera provision as
well as the only core city with no Arts Council-funded touring opera."

Liverpool is one of five cities that have been shortlisted as a potential new home for ENO's
headquarters alongside Birmingham, Bristol, Greater Manchester, and Nottingham.

The organisation has said it hopes to make a final decision by the end of the year, before
moving to its new home early next year, to meet the funding conditions of the £24m offered
by ACE for 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Rotherham and Robinson's letter also calls for transparency in the decision-making process,
describing it as "complicated", with the government, Arts Council England and the ENO all
taking part.

Government pressure

The letter also references rumours government officials had sought to apply pressure for
Manchester or Birmingham's bid to be successful.

"Wherever the ENO next calls home, it should be about choosing the place that offers the best
fit for the opera to thrive with a sustainable future - and not simply the place that offers the
biggest short-term financial incentives," the letter states.

"While we do not place too much truck in rumours, it would be remiss of us not to seek your
assurances that there is no substance to the reports we have heard of government officials
seeking to apply pressure for Manchester or Birmingham's bid to be successful as an addendum
to their Trailblazer Devolution deals.

"We would appreciate if you were able to clear up some of the uncertainty surrounding the
bidding process and give your assurances that the best bid will be successful. If the process is
conducted on a truly level playing field, then we are confident that the ENO will soon be
calling the Liverpool City Region home."

Author(s):
Neil Puffett
News
Opera
Arts funding
NPO2022

Published: 16-06-2023