Welsh National Opera drops shows over funding cuts

WNO says it has had to cancel performances due to funding pressures

The Welsh National Opera (WNO) has announced it will be cutting back on performances due to financial pressures.

The company has said it will not be touring to Llandudno or Bristol early next year because of "increasing financial challenges".

Both the Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England have cut the amount of money they give to WNO.

Company bosses said they needed to "introduce substantial budget efficiencies".

It means proposed performances at The Bristol Hippodrome in February 2025 and Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Conwy county, in May 2025 will not go ahead.

The funding received from Arts Council England (ACE) was cut by 35%, which led to WNO performances in Liverpool being cancelled in 2022, while operas in other English cities went ahead as planned.

Earlier this year, WNO’s music director, Tomáš Hanus, sent an open letter to ACE, warning the company would "struggle to maintain its national opera identity and standards on a budget that is not even sufficient for a small regional theatre, by comparison to other European countries".

The letter, signed by Welsh opera stars Sir Bryn Terfel and Rebecca Evans as well as composer Sir Paul Mealor and conductor Carlo Rizzi, added: "If our generation fails to protect this treasure, and lets it disappear, it would be hard for future generations to find any justification for it."

As part of its investment review announced in September 2023, Arts Council of Wales reduced its funding to WNO by 11.8%.

Christopher Barron, WNO interim general director, said cutting back on tours was "regrettable" but "unavoidable", adding: "We know [it] will come as a deep disappointment to our audiences."

He said the company faced the challenge of "balancing a reduced budget whilst maintaining artistic standards in providing a stimulating programme of performance and engagement activities".

The Arts Council of Wales said it would continue to cooperate fully with the WNO and others.

The Arts Council of England said it would work closely with funded organisations who are facing financial challenges.