Devoted And Disgruntled: How Can We Change Opera For The Better?

9 - 10 April 2016

Devoted And Disgruntled: How Can We Change Opera For The Better?

Lilian Baylis House, 165 Broadhurst Gardens, London NW6 3AX

In partnership with ENO, supported by Tête à Tête

         

Saturday 10:30-5:30, Sunday 11:00 - 6:00

An invitation from Cressida Pollock: Chief Executive ENO

Dear Opera lover,

I am pleased to invite you to "Devoted and Disgruntled: How can we change Opera for the better?"

Is Opera a big part of your life? Does it play any part in your life (and if not, why not)? Do you love it? Hate it? Are you indifferent to it or even not sure why it’s relevant at all? Do you think it has a future? Is it elitist? Is it too expensive? Should it receive public subsidy?  Does what is happening to it make you furious or don’t you care? If so, then perhaps you know what it's like to be devoted and disgruntled.

This is a hugely challenging time for the arts and no art-form more than Opera has the ability to provoke such passion and controversy. When the stakes are so high and many of us in big and small companies are fighting to keep our heads above water, this is an opportunity for your voice to be heard. Would you like to change things? How can we all work together to make sure that Opera survives and prospers way into the future? Would you like to connect with others who share your passion, talk to them, listen to them, change how Opera is for the better, or help secure its future? 

Come together with a large cross-section of our operatic community; movers, makers, shakers, consumers, activists, reactionaries, revolutionaries, workers on the factory floor, creators on the edge, at the core, critics, newcomers, old hands, audiences and supporters across the board.

Air your ideas, share your frustrations, listen, and contribute to a myriad of discussions created and determined by you the operatic community.

Devoted and Disgruntled uses Open Space Technology to allow the group itself to determine the topics and flow of the discussion, and to take action on the urgent issues. Nothing is censored, and all participants are free to call sessions, attend whichever are of interest, or meet informally over a coffee. It will be facilitated and archived by Improbable who now have an 11 year history of running great events like this; conferences which have helped change the way the arts community communicates with itself.

I look forward to seeing you there to help shape the future of Opera.

Best wishes

Cressida Pollock: Chief Executive ENO