Chorus grows for Royal Opera move

Exclusive: Deborah Linton

July 20, 2009

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PLANS to create a Manchester home for London's Royal Opera House have taken a leap forward - with more big names in the arts world on board.

Leeds-based Opera North and the Birmingham Royal Ballet have announced that they too would be interested in putting on events in the city.

The companies - two of the biggest arts organisations outside London - are now listed as official backers of the idea and have announced they would put on shows in Manchester if it goes ahead.

A new feasibility study says there has been `substantial progress' on the idea of spending £110m to convert the Palace Theatre on Oxford Road into a northern base for both the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet.

The plan is already supported by the Royal Opera, Royal Ballet, Manchester council, Manchester International Festival and the city orchestras - the Halle, BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata.

The Royal Opera and Royal Ballet would be in Manchester 19 weeks a year, on top of their work at their base in London's Covent Garden. Backers say the scheme would bring 500 jobs to the area and £8m a year to the city economy.

Council leader Sir Richard Leese said the Manchester International Festival, which ended at the weekend, proved the city's ability to attract audiences.

He said: "It has provided strong evidence of the increased market for culture in Manchester but also the potential to deliver training and skills development for local people." The theatre would also be used as a training centre. The study predicts it would cost £12m a year to fund - £4m less than the previous estimate - and says nearly half the cost could be recouped through ticket sales. Backers say they are now talking to the Arts Council.

Tony Hall, chief executive of the Royal Opera House, called the progress `very exciting'. He said: "Royal Opera House Manchester would deliver new work produced in, for and by Manchester and the north west."

Bosses at The Lowry in Salford Quays have also been brought into the talks because they fear a Manchester venue could threaten their future. They suggest a `dual house' solution with the Royal Opera having a home in Manchester and the Royal Ballet having shows in Salford.

Rod Aldridge, chairman of trustees at The Lowry, said: "If the scheme goes ahead without safeguarding The Lowry it will threaten the £116m of public money invested in The Lowry."

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Mark, South Manchester (20/07/2009 at 13:04)

Sure get a "pop star" name like Damon Albarn or Rufus Wainwright behind it, and you'll put bums on seats - but come on there's no sustainable audience for opera or ballet in Manchester! The city centre can't even sustain a single Michelin class restaurant for heavens sake - so how on earth are you going to attract an opera & ballet loving audience? In fact under New Labour, Manchester city centre has simply become the new Blackpool. Cheap & tacky and as the Bishop of Hulme has just said; all the recent city centre developments aren't particularly that good.

Isn't this simply a "wheeze" by New Labour to "shut up" Manchester city council about losing out on the supercasino? The country is almost bankrupt, with every penny of lottery & culture funding now earmarked for the London Olympics. So this just won't happen and will be quickly forgotten about after the next election.

Crantock (20/07/2009 at 13:29)

£110m wakey wakey were broke and it ain't good money well spent. Don't tell me the acoustics at Bridgewater hall or the facilites are not good enough.

Mike S, Manchester (20/07/2009 at 17:11)

The Lowry is perfectly equipped to accommodate the Royal Opera and Ballet. But it's in Salford, so Manchester City Council don't like it and are now looking to spend £110M of money we don't have to renovate the run-down Palace Theatre, which would also threaten £116M of public monoey invested in the Lowry.

Grow up and accept that the Lowry is the best place for this. I'm sure the city council would prefer the palace to be turned into trendy apartments in any event so they can collect more council tax to pay for their extravagances.

As for the blithe statement about creating jobs, this would also apply if it was at the Lowry. Manchester people will be able to apply for them too! Also, as for one of the backers Opera North, they already perform in Manchester on a regular basis and would more likely see the Royal Opera in Manchester as a real threat, taking a substantial portion of their target audience, particularly if they will be here for a third of the year!

Lancashire 4ever, Pendlebury, Manchester, Lancashire (20/07/2009 at 21:33)

"A new feasibility study says there has been `substantial progress' on the idea of spending £110m to convert the Palace Theatre on Oxford Road into a northern base for both the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet."

My big question is - When will the Manchester Evening News ever learn the difference between Oxford ROAD and Oxford STREET?

The Palace Theatre is at the junction of Whitworth Street and Oxford Street and NOT "Oxford Road" as stated in Deborah Linton's story (see above).

Oxford ROAD becomes Oxford STREET at the River Medlock - and always has.
And for those who don't know where this watercourse is, it is almost right in line with the railway line coming out of Oxford Road railway station and going over the bridge going towards Piccadilly railway station and beyond.

Ludwig van Beethoven rules OK !, manchester (27/07/2009 at 15:48)

Like the BBC moving to Salford - The Royal Opera & Ballet are I suppose obliged to offer culture in the provinces - their is no finer place than City Centre Manchester with 2+ million population the Greater Manchester County. The money is peanuts compared to the investment ploughed into London and the Southeast. It's our money by right -and justifyably should be spent on culture of the highest calibre that will go a long way to improve the social fabric of Manchester life.

The Last Outpost, Wigglesworth (11/09/2009 at 11:10)

who in their right mind would spend £110 million on the palace theatre ? Its the worst theatre in Manchester and needs knocking down.

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