Report that Northern Ballet to drop orchestra - at least for touring engagements which may well be its majority ...

[Bruce Wall]

So very sad.  It seems they are in desperate financial straights .... This I fear is a sign of continuing UK times and is most especially distressing for an artform for whom music - at least in some international locations - is deemed absolutely, nay, entirely critical vis a vis balletic artistry.  Let's pray they are able to muster the funds necessary to maintain this crucial element.  

 

Source:  https://slippedisc.com/2023/09/report-northern-ballet-drops-its-orchestra/

Edited September 28, 2023 by Bruce Wall

[Sim]

If true, this is incredibly sad.  

[Ondine]

Dreadfully sad and bad news.

 

We have just been given devastating news by Northern Ballet that they are in financial trouble, serious financial trouble.

 

Oh dear.

Edited September 28, 2023 by Ondine

[Jan McNulty]

There’s nothing on the company website so I’ve just written to them.

 

I sincerely hope it isn’t true.

[Sim]

There’s an impassioned post on Jonathan Lo’s Instagram page about this situation.  

[Ondine]

It's difficult to comprehend how such a situation could have arisen without, it would seem, any warning.

 

Shocking news, for so many reasons.

 

 

[elfin]

There is an announcement about this on their website now. Very sad news indeed.

[Jan McNulty]

Email from Northern Ballet:

 

Dear Janet,

 

I wanted to write to you personally to share some news from the company.

 

We are hugely proud of our work to bring world-class narrative ballets to audiences throughout the country. However, the challenges faced by many large-scale touring companies right now are significant, as touring ballet across the UK has been heavily impacted by rising costs, particularly inflation. Over recent months we have worked tirelessly to review our operating model, explore our options, review our expenditure and to accept that we can no longer work in the way we have done in the past. 

 

Looking to the future, we need to fundamentally change the shape of our touring model, which currently produces a significant deficitdespite the wonderful support and often high tickets sales our productions achieve. Our plan is to increase the length and breadth of our tours, enabling us to grow our audiences, but to do so with a reduction in our performing costs. To achieve this, after April 2024, will be reviewing our use of live music at some of our touring performances.

 

We are incredibly fortunate to benefit from the generous and steadfast support of a wide range of donors like you, in addition to the funding we receive from Arts Council England and Leeds City Council. This support is absolutely vital to our ongoing sustainability. As a registered charity, it is paramount that we use these funds appropriately, ethically, and to safeguard the long-term resilience of the organisation. To achieve this, we must ensure that we plan and budget responsibly.

 

We believe in the power and importance of livemusic and it will remain an integral part of our productions in Leeds and London and at our touring venues, wherever possible. It remains our mission to create world-class new ballets,develop the next generation of emerging talent and share the joy of dance with audiences around the UK.

 

We would like to thank you for all your ongoing support. It has, without a doubt, been a lifeline in the last few years. Although we have been working on a long-term sustainability plan over recent months with our Board, it is only now that we are able to share it within the organisation and externally with our supporters, so we understand that this is unexpected news. If you would like to discuss our plans in more detail, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

Kind regards

 

David

 

 

David Collins | Executive Director | Northern Ballet

[Jan McNulty]

Website link - slightly different wording:

 

https://northernballet.com/news/2023/09/an-update-from-northern-ballet

[elfin]

Thanks for sharing your message Janet. 

[Ondine]

It's not quite as dreadful as it first appeared but still pretty grim. 

[Sim]

Thanks Jan. So….they haven’t explicitly stated that they are going to drop the orchestra altogether, or have I missed something?  They seem to imply that they will still use live music in Leeds and London but not in other tour venues.  If that’s the case, will they be retaining the services of NB’s orchestra?

 

Both statements are a bit nebulous. Perhaps they are trying to soften the blow?  

[Ondine]

Perahps there are delicate negotiations happening re unions and redundancies and nothing is as yet settled?

 

However, recorded music may save cash, but it won't give an audience the full experience of ballet with live music which is one of the joys of a theatre visit and oh dear. The future isn't bright is it?

[San Perregrino]

2 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

wherever possible

 

that's the chink in the armour. 

 

such sad sad news. 

 

for me, live music, be it a full orchestra or a single instrument, adds layers of unquantifiable, indefinable enjoyment and enriches and elevates a performance in ways a mere recording cannot do.  

 

whenever, i have met musicians and conductors in cafes, on pavements and at pre- or post show events I have congratulated them on their playing, their involvement, their talent and commitment into making a ballet or dance piece a success. and, i have emphasised how much live music contributes.

 

whenever possible, where I have met artistic directors or choreographers i have also congratulated them on the use of live music and told them how much it adds to a performance.  i shall continue to do so but with greater emphasis and urgency.

 

when the Paris Opera Ballet orchestra couldn't play due to members having Covid,  i sat through a ballet performance danced to a recording.  it just wasn't the same experience and i left feeling short-changed.

 

i couldn't imagine sitting through say, Romeo & Juliet or The Dante Project if either was danced to a recording. the full orchestral might underscores the choreography of both pieces and is integral to their success. 

witness the difference in MB New Adventures productions which have been magical at Sadlers Wells when danced to live music and the same production out on tour danced to a recording has been, at least for me, for want of a better word "meh". 

 

if i was financially in a position to save these orchestras i would do so.  the least i can do is buy a lottery ticket today....

[Ondine]

7 minutes ago, PeterS said:

"meh". 

 

That about sums it up, yes.

[mum5678]

It's incredibly sad news indeed. Times are really tough for a lot of performing arts at the moment. I'm aware of two dance companies that have had to cancel previously sold out tours due to lack of sales this year. Plus there are other dance performances at our local theatre that have only sold 17 tickets for the whole show...

 

I have quite a lot to do with theatre and performing arts (mainly through pantomime). Shows are being pulled left right and centre because they're just not selling in the current economic climate. So whilst I hate to see this happen, if this is what has to be done to keep the dance company going financially and continue to be able to perform dance, which I guess has to be their priority, then I can understand... it's about survival of the company until times are easier. 

 

There are some really unhelpful comments on their Facebook feed along the lines of "Well, I won't be going then", which is just heartbreaking... if only people realised how difficult these decisions are for the companies and what is going on. These decisions are never taken lightly and are devastating to have to make, and of course, if people 'won't be going then' it just exacerbates the situation and means we're less likely to be able to get the orchestra back! I think a lot of audiences are blissfully unaware of how challenging it is to get tickets sold in this current climate and probably unaware that a load of theatres have had to hike their hire costs due to RAAC issues that they now need to find money to pay for a solution too. 

[LinMM]

Another depressing piece of news today 😥

Though reading the letter Jan received above it seems as if they will try whenever possible to keep the live music but are preparing people for the worst scenario. 
It’s such a shame as the music is the most important element in watching Dance for me however when seeing smaller companies who usually have to use recorded music if the quality of the dancing is really good then it’s not so bad. I’ve been to a couple of memorable Rambert performances to recorded music. 
Let’s hope things can change for the better in a few years from now anyway 
 

[Tango Dancer]

29 minutes ago, mum5678 said:

It's incredibly sad news indeed. Times are really tough for a lot of performing arts at the moment. I'm aware of two dance companies that have had to cancel previously sold out tours due to lack of sales this year. Plus there are other dance performances at our local theatre that have only sold 17 tickets for the whole show...

 

I have quite a lot to do with theatre and performing arts (mainly through pantomime). Shows are being pulled left right and centre because they're just not selling in the current economic climate. So whilst I hate to see this happen, if this is what has to be done to keep the dance company going financially and continue to be able to perform dance, which I guess has to be their priority, then I can understand... it's about survival of the company until times are easier. 

 

There are some really unhelpful comments on their Facebook feed along the lines of "Well, I won't be going then", which is just heartbreaking... if only people realised how difficult these decisions are for the companies and what is going on. These decisions are never taken lightly and are devastating to have to make, and of course, if people 'won't be going then' it just exacerbates the situation and means we're less likely to be able to get the orchestra back! I think a lot of audiences are blissfully unaware of how challenging it is to get tickets sold in this current climate and probably unaware that a load of theatres have had to hike their hire costs due to RAAC issues that they now need to find money to pay for a solution too. 

 

Yes I was annoyed by the unhelpful comments on facebook.  I don't imagine it's an easy decision.  I'm sure NB are aware that things work much better with live music (and I prefer it) but you have to make difficult choices in this environment at the moment to keep going.  Northern Ballet is great and does so much that it's a shame they're struggling.

 

I think everyone is struggling to sell tickets at the moment especially to fill the larger venues.  I went to the theatre for a play with a reasonably well know cast last month and it was half empty.  My parents sing with a local choral society and they're moving away from performing with a full orchestra to performing with an organ / piano and looking at cheaper venues because they're not filling the bigger ones in the way they did 10 years ago.  

[Lindsay]

I think it is really important for audiences to express their feelings though.  Part of the reason for ENO being given a temporary ‘reprieve’ from the proposed move and cuts impacting them is because of the huge campaign from musicians and audiences to defend the importance of their work.  Please remember that musicians as well as dancers are artists - we already spend so very very little on the arts compared to other European countries that these things are the result of truly unnecessary subsidy slashes.  It is absolutely embarrassing and disgraceful that a major ballet company should be forced to perform to recorded music - especially when the government is claiming to be focussed on “levelling up” outside London.

[Ondine]

3 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

think it is really important for audiences to express their feelings though.

 

Yes.

 

As happened with the BBC singers.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65063238

 

 

[LinMM]

Yes it’s very important for audiences to express their feelings but not by attacking the Northern Ballet itself (as has been happening) as I’m sure they don’t want to make this decision. 
I think anger has to be directed more at the Gov. 
 

[mum5678]

Absolutely agree, and it's devastating for the musicians (my Brother in Law is a musician and has been directly affected but the BBC singers debacle, so I completely appreciate that perspective). I suppose I see this as what must be a 'last resort' move. If it were an orchestra who had accompanying dancers I would expect them to prioritise the musicians should push come to shove, and vice versa for a ballet company. It does absolutely impact the overall performance, and it's not by any means the same experience, but if it's literally this or fold the company, I can see why they've made the decision. 

 

I also agree that it's important for audiences to express their disappointment, otherwise we'd be in danger of losing the orchestra forever, I just think there are more helpful ways of doing it than some of the unpleasant responses their getting. 

[Bruce Wall]

3 minutes ago, Lindsay said:

I think it is really important for audiences to express their feelings though.  Part of the reason for ENO being given a temporary ‘reprieve’ from the proposed move and cuts impacting them is because of the huge campaign from musicians and audiences to defend the importance of their work.  Please remember that musicians as well as dancers are artists - we already spend so very very little on the arts compared to other European countries that these things are the result of truly unnecessary subsidy slashes.  It is absolutely embarrassing and disgraceful that a major ballet company should be forced to perform to recorded music - especially when the government is claiming to be focussed on “levelling up” outside London.

 

Yes, and what hasn't been floated here is the fact - or certainly 'seeming' fact given that it's been reported in the trade publications and Conservative broadsheets - that this government is trailing proposed amendments to the tax incentive that was only relatively recently created for support of the arts in the UK.  In the US - where there is limited government support - but massive independent fostering - were such not to have long existed the entire and vast domestic arts infrastructure would - certainly as we know it - collapse.  Best I think to strap in, folks.  Whatever else happens in the UK this - from an arts perspective - one often deemed easily cut in the overall scheme of things - is clearly going to be a VERY bumpy ride. 

 

[Emeralds]

The initial announcement (unofficial but unfortunately true), as copied faithfully on the Slipped Disc website, was from Northern Ballet Sinfonia’s viola player (she is also a violinist) Hannah Horton. It sounded like she had posted shortly after the orchestra musicians were informed first. The post is visible on her Facebook page on public setting. It seems that the plan is that NB will continue having the orchestra play for performances this autumn till the end of this year, meaning their Nutcrackers will have live music, but thereafter from January, no more orchestra for every single performance. 

 

Orchestra musicians can have a very uncertain income, and many nowadays are being employed on a freelance basis, ie in plain English to you and me, that means akin to a zero hours contract basis. There is no regular guaranteed income (not even a tiny retainer) to get a mortgage or certainty of where the money to pay your utility and food bills will come from. Yet if you are hired, you would be expected to make your own way (and pay your own way) from Aberdeen or Newcastle (if that’s where your last show was) to Devon or London for the shows, including the costs of transporting your own instrument. That’s ok if you play the flute, violin, clarinet etc - small and relatively portable instruments- but not if you play double bass, cello, tuba, harp....you’re looking at driving a large enough vehicle, paying your own fuel and parking (if it even exists in a congested town centre) and often, very few employers will reimburse fuel/bus/train/parking costs. 

 

If they are only hiring their orchestra for certain performances, eg a short run at Sadler’s Wells, or a limited run in Leeds, that means the musicians will only be paid for those and the rest of the year they’ll have to find other sources of income. Simon Rattle described on the BBC that this change during and post pandemic was so detrimental to some musicians’ finances that they gave up music altogether and turned to other non-music jobs like building work (not teaching, writing or community work-those jobs are all filled already)!

 

I know many musicians and have seen the audition process too- these are not people dabbling in a casual hobby: their standard of playing is generally the level of a graduate with all GCSE grade 9s, all A stars at A level and first class honours at university level in their instrument or the level of an Olympic athlete - they are incredibly skilled and the best of the best. Imagine someone having to abandon all that talent and attainment to clean tables or carry bricks (not that there’s anything inferior about waiter or builder jobs but you can appreciate the difference in skill set). 

 

It was very sad news in a week where I’ve already had crushing, very sad news. And shocking because I thought Northern Ballet was doing well financially- one of very few established performing arts organisations in the U.K.  to get an increase in Arts Council funding rather than a cut or zero, a sold out premiere of the Generations triple bill, totally sold out shows for Linbury Theatre at advance booking (though a few returns have come back). However LT is admittedly a tiny auditorium and not as much revenue when sold out as a sold out Coliseum or Albert Hall. But still I thought it was in a very secure place financially (especially with the children’s ballets on CBeebies and at Linbury) for a relatively small sized company and small sized orchestra. 

 

I generally dislike it when recorded music is used (feels like my not-so-good school shows as a bunch of primary school children doing a hobby) and often just tolerate it when it’s been used for as hoc galas or one-man shows. Using a recording of pop music (eg Blake Works 1, Playlist EP)  is different of course, because one can’t transport an entire pop band or a deceased singer for every single dance performance, and pop tunes are specially arranged  for CD & download sales anyway (sometimes they sound better than a live gig!) 

 

i hope something or some things can be done to rescue NB and keep their orchestra full time. Eg fundraising galas or performances  (ooh, if they could get Laura Morera to dance Juliet with them as a guest, I’d pay good money for that!) and doing a number of  “Evening of Music and Dance” shows in bigger auditoriums (eg Coliseum, Royal Albert Hall, even arenas!)  where their orchestra and dancers in pas de deux or solos are centre stage (rather like BRB’s ones at Symphony Hall- the two companies have different repertoire so wouldn’t be invading BRB’s turf). That could both give many young dancers opportunities to dance featured pas de deux or solos they might not get a chance to perform normally, and the format is generally more family friendly (eg one can’t bring 5 or 8 year old children to Great Gatsby or Casanova even though those are terrific programmes in their own right). Hannah Horton asked us to stand up for live music -  I’m with her.

 

I hope NB can take this very challenging time and use it as an opportunity to do something really different and ambitious about raising revenue.  Please don’t give up on your Sinfonia, Northern Ballet, and allow it to diminish to a pick up band- they are brilliant and worth saving, and ultimately add so much to NB performances. (Might even generate enough not just to save the orchestra but to add to NB’s financial cushion!).

Edited September 29, 2023 by Emeralds

[glowlight]

I am deeply saddened by this news, as the life orchestra aspect of a Northern Ballet performance is one of the things which makes Northern Ballet so wonderful. I also feel very, very sorry for the musicians affected.

 

However I would rather that Northern Ballet make changes to their touring model, than stop touring, or worse still...go under completely.

 

Let's continue to support live performing arts in all their forms because that is the only way they will be able to stay viable.

[Jan McNulty]

As far as I am aware, apart from the Music Director (currently a vacant position) and possibly the Orchestra and Concerts Manager, the members of the orchestra are technically freelancers.  I do not think this is an unusual situation for ballet orchestras in the UK.

 

It is devastatingly sad news on so many levels but I echo @glowlight in saying that I would rather the Company makes these changes to the touring model rather than stop touring, or, unthinkably, go under altogether.

 

Many of the orchestra members have played for Northern Ballet for many years.

[JNC]

How sad for NB, and I really feel for all the musicians who may be made redundant, or (perhaps worse?) have this zero hours contract imposed on them. 

 

Of course anger shouldn't be directed at NB who are clearly having to make very difficult (impossible) choices, but I echo those saying that audience members have a right to 'vote with their feet', as sad as the result may be.

 

Ballet for me is not the same without the live music. Indeed, at the recent ENB Our Voices bill, the live music (Les Noces, and the phenomenal opera singer for Strauss) was the highlight for me actually (and this is speaking as someone who doesn't love opera!). 

 

Ballet isn't cheap - that's not to say that it's making profit as clearly from the NB messaging they are losing money on touring. But to be brutally honest, I'm not sure I would want / could justify paying the same price for a performance with recorded music that I would pay for live music. Yes this only will create a downward spiral but it's simply not the same experience - I can buy a DVD for cheaper than a live performance generally speaking, and so if we start removing crucial aspects of live performances it becomes less of an appeal to go, particularly when we are all watching our budgets in this cost of living crisis. 

 

I don't really have any suggestions as I'm sure NB have already exhausted various avenues before having to make this statement. A one-off gala might go towards something but doesn't really give a sustainable long term solution. I suppose ROH will have more prominent benefactors due to it's position in London and associated prestige, I don't want to put it all on Bonnelli as it's not fair on him and down to one person but I wonder if he could use some of his connections (assuming he does have some, which also may be unfair) to get some generous donations in from high wealth individuals. It is grasping at straws at this point though. 

 

Different to some others' thoughts above, I wonder if in these tough times, it may be better for NB not to tour (although would this be a double-edge sword and means what little gvt funding they receive is cut completely) if they can't afford to tour with an orchestra, and just focus on works with an orchestra in Leeds? Particularly if audiences are reduced if they don't provide a live orchestra, leading to further losses? 

 

Ultimately we need better provision for arts in this country but I don't see that happening anytime soon sadly, as much as I would love to be wrong.

 

[glowlight]

Earlier this year I went to see Rambert's Peaky Blinders touring production. This used a combination of recorded music and live musicians who played on stage as part of the show. It was totally amazing and the lack of an orchestra didn't detract from the show at all.

 

Of course we would all prefer that NB can retain their wonderful in-house orchestra, but necessity is the mother of invention - they may create something surprisingly awesome out of this challenge.

 

 

 

[Ondine]

It's all rather WWII isn't it? 🤨

 

An orchestra was a luxury, so Constant Lambert, Music Director of the Sadler’s Wells Ballet, and Hilda Gaunt, Rehearsal Pianist, accompanied the dancers on two pianos.   Absent male dancers were replaced by young inexperienced colleagues (Eliot 52), although sometimes they were able to participate in performances at short notice when they were on leave (90).  Repertoire was selected to accommodate the situation, with Les Sylphides (Fokine, 1909) a regular item in the performances of many companies:  it was already an audience favourite; it required only one male dancer; and Chopin’s music was originally composed for piano. 

 

https://britishballetnowandthen.com/tag/balletinwartime/

 

I hope there is a national outcry but as it's The North(ish) and an orchestra will play in that there Lunnon and for the fancy folk of Leeds, the national press will be quite muted about starving other areas of live music.

 

We're one of the richest nations on earth and we deprive the arts and artists of funding and I'm so soddin' angry about it all.

 

 

 

[Emeralds]

13 hours ago, glowlight said:

Earlier this year I went to see Rambert's Peaky Blinders touring production. This used a combination of recorded music and live musicians who played on stage as part of the show. It was totally amazing and the lack of an orchestra didn't detract from the show at all.

 

Of course we would all prefer that NB can retain their wonderful in-house orchestra, but necessity is the mother of invention - they may create something surprisingly awesome out of this challenge.

 

 

 

Glowlight, having musicians on the stage is still having live music, because the recorded bits are part of the artistic intention. Just bearing in mind that when New York City Ballet began (under a different name), they used live music and Balanchine picked music that didn’t require a large orchestra but economised by not having sets and costumes, using leotards, tights and practice skirts. The “practice clothes” costumes of early ballets like Serenade and Concerto Barocco started a trend and is now recognised as a beautiful and legitimate artistic choice in itself. NYCB is now a million dollar dance company and organisation that can sustain lots of jobs. The ballet organisations that I have seen using recorded classical music (not counting pop music or electronic music that is by its nature recorded, or student performances) in lieu of musicians have not survived in that format. 

[glowlight]

2 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Glowlight, having musicians on the stage is still having live music, because the recorded bits are part of the artistic intention.

I totally agree with you @Emeralds. What I am hoping is that NB will come up with some kind of creative solution to this problem, which doesn't bring us to dancers performing to a 'backing track.' 

 

[Jan McNulty]

Just a thought … everyone should email Northern Ballet and express their distress.  It may help the company prepare a case for discussion with the Arts Council.

[Henry]

I notice in today's links (thanks Janet) an article about this on the Musicians' Union website.  It says 

 

"Northern Ballet has acted to make as many savings as possible to minimise the loss. This has included redundancies in the Company and a substantially reduced headcount."

 

Is anyone aware of any dancers that are leaving, being made redundant?  Or of anyone being made redundant from Northern Ballet?