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Opera Holland Park is a summer opera company which produces an annual season of opera performances, staged under a temporary canopy in front of the remains of Holland House, a Blitz-damaged building in Holland Park, west central London. The venue is fully covered but is open at the sides.

The canopy was installed in 1988 and was initially used for a variety of music. Concerns about noise levels led to an increasing focus on opera from 1989, with productions staged by a variety of small opera companies. For the 2007 season, the theatre was expanded by the addition of new seating and other improved facilities. There are now 1,000 seats.

As part of a drive to improve artistic standards "Opera Holland Park" was established in 1996 to produce all future productions, and in recent years the company has enjoyed a long string of hits with major achievements in productions of more obscure repertoire such as Mascagni's Iris, Cilea's L'arlesiana, and many others. It is now considered one of the most accomplished non-state opera companies in the UK. The resident orchestra is the City of London Sinfonia.

Each season around half a dozen operas are staged. Most of them are well known classics but the company has developed a reputation for producing works from the verismo repertoire and an adventurous production policy. They are sung in the original language and surtitling is used.

Opera Holland Park was named Best Opera Company 2010 by The Sunday Times (London).^[1]

In 2020, Opera Holland Park received an International Opera Award nomination in the ‘Best Production’ category for their double bill, ''Il segreto di Susanna and ''Iolanta, directed by John Wilkie and Olivia Fuchs.

Management and organization[edit]

Until October 2015, the company was a part of, and received financial backing from, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, plus a number of corporate sponsors, including Investec Wealth & Investment, the season's title sponsor.

The company became an independent charity in October 2015, receiving a significant final grant settlement from The Royal Borough. A new board was installed, chaired by Charles Mackay CBE, former chairman of Historic Royal Palaces.

There is also a vibrant Friends organisation attached to the company who raise significant funds for development and who perform a central educational role as well. There are over 2000 Friends of the company as well as nearly 100 elite donors called "Ambassadors" and a new troupe called Founders, created on independence from the Royal Borough.

The company is characterised by the two people who run it: Michael Volpe (General Director) and James Clutton (Director of Opera).

In 2007 the company produced Italo Montemezzi's thrilling rarity L'amore dei tre re to great acclaim. The production was regarded as one of the most exciting in the company's history. In the same season OHP's production of Janáček's Jenůfa was widely regarded as one of the best realisations of the opera ever seen in London.

In March 2008, Opera Holland Park's 2007 season was nominated in the category of Concert Series and Festival in the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards.

The 2009 season included Janáček's Káťa Kabanová and Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, while 2010 plans included Pelléas et Mélisande and Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini in addition to four or five standard operas each season. The 2011 season includes productions of three major Italian rarities, Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz, Puccini's La Rondine and Catalani's La Wally.

In 2009 Nicholas Paget-Brown launched the Cultural Placemaking initiative as part of the Council's Arts and Culture Policy. He explained that the plan was to build on the work of Opera Holland Park and Leighton House Museum to develop a broader coherent strategy to encourage developers to consider the Council's creative and artistic ambitions when working on a development project.^[2]

Film appearance[edit]

Opera Holland Park was featured in Woody Allen's 2010 film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger in a scene using main cast members Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts and Lucy Punch.

References[edit]

^ "OHP named Best Opera Company". Rbkc.gov.uk. 2009-09-17. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
^ "Creative Spirit".

External links[edit]

51°30′8.11″N 0°12′7.48″W / 51.5022528°N 0.2020778°W / 51.5022528; -0.2020778

[1] "OHP named Best Opera Company". Rbkc.gov.uk. 2009-09-17. Retrieved 2015-08-14.

[2] "Creative Spirit".

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Refimprove|date=August 2015}}
+{{More citations needed|date=August 2015}}
+[[File:Opera Holland Park (9518830098).png|thumb|2013 stage]]
-'''Opera Holland Park''' is a summer [[opera]] company which produces an annual season of opera performances staged under a temporary canopy in [[Holland Park]], a public park in a wealthy district of west central [[London]] of the same name. The venue is fully covered but is open at the sides.
+'''Opera Holland Park''' is a summer [[opera]] company which produces an annual season of opera performances, staged under a temporary canopy in front of the remains of [[Holland House]], a [[The Blitz|Blitz]]-damaged building in [[Holland Park]], west central [[London]]. The venue is fully covered but is open at the sides.
-The canopy was installed in 1988 and was initially used for a variety of music. Concerns about noise levels led to an increasing focus on opera from 1989, with productions staged by a variety of small opera companies. For the 2007 season, the theatre was expanded by the addition of a spectacular new canopy underneath which is new seating and other improved facilities. There are now 1,000 seats.
+The canopy was installed in 1988 and was initially used for a variety of music. Concerns about noise levels led to an increasing focus on opera from 1989, with productions staged by a variety of small opera companies. For the 2007 season, the theatre was expanded by the addition of new seating and other improved facilities. There are now 1,000 seats.
 As part of a drive to improve artistic standards "Opera Holland Park" was established in 1996 to produce all future productions, and in recent years the company has enjoyed a long string of hits with major achievements in productions of more obscure repertoire such as [[Pietro Mascagni|Mascagni]]'s ''[[Iris (opera)|Iris]]'', [[Francesco Cilea|Cilea]]'s ''[[L'arlesiana]]'', and many others. It is now considered one of the most accomplished non-state opera companies in the UK. The resident orchestra is the [[City of London Sinfonia]].
-Each season around half a dozen operas are staged. Most of them are well known classics but the company has developed a reputation for producing works from the [[verismo]] repertoire and a very adventurous production policy. There are nearly fifty performances in the season. They are sung in the original language and surtitling is used.
+Each season around half a dozen operas are staged. Most of them are well known classics but the company has developed a reputation for producing works from the [[verismo]] repertoire and an adventurous production policy.  They are sung in the original language and surtitling is used.
+Opera Holland Park was named Best Opera Company 2010 by ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' (London).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/operahollandpark/news/ohpnamedbestoperacompany.aspx |title=OHP named Best Opera Company |publisher=Rbkc.gov.uk |date=2009-09-17 |access-date=2015-08-14}}</ref>
-The venue and company are famed for a warm informality coupled with serious artistic intent and dedication. Pricing is determinedly accessible and the company even has a "Free Tickets for young people" scheme that offers 1200 free seats to people aged between 9 and 18 years old. All of these tickets are for normal performances, not rehearsals.
+In 2020, Opera Holland Park received an International Opera Award nomination in the ‘Best Production’ category for their double bill, [[''Il segreto di Susanna]]'' and [[''Iolanta]]'', directed by John Wilkie and Olivia Fuchs.
 ==Management and organization==
-The company receives financial backing from the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]], plus a number of corporate sponsors, including Investec Wealth & Investment, a new title sponsor in 2011.
+Until October 2015, the company was a part of, and received financial backing from, the [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]], plus a number of corporate sponsors, including Investec Wealth & Investment, the season's title sponsor.
+The company became an independent charity in October 2015, receiving a significant final grant settlement from The Royal Borough. A new board was installed, chaired by Charles Mackay CBE, former chairman of [[Historic Royal Palaces]].
-There is also a vibrant Friends organisation attached to the company who raise significant funds for development and who perform a central educational role as well. There are nearly 2,600 Friends of the company as well as nearly 100 elite donors called  "Ambassadors".
+There is also a vibrant Friends organisation attached to the company who raise significant funds for development and who perform a central educational role as well. There are over 2000 Friends of the company as well as nearly 100 elite donors called  "Ambassadors" and a new troupe called Founders, created on independence from the Royal Borough.
-While it is owned by the Royal Borough, it is characterised by the two people who run it: Michael Volpe (general manager) and James Clutton (producer).
+The company is characterised by the two people who run it: Michael Volpe (General Director) and James Clutton (Director of Opera).
-The company reflects their image and philosophies, although both have backgrounds very far removed from the world of opera. Clutton inculcates a strong team atmosphere backstage and manages to persuade international singers to give their time at lower remuneration than they might ordinarily expect, whilst Volpe drives the business, has a penchant for obscure late Italian opera which Clutton translates brilliantly to the stage, and develops the audience and sponsors along similar dedicated lines. Both will be seen at the theatre on most nights - if not every night - and are always mixing with audience members, open to discussion and the odd glass of champagne. It is the bold, indefatigable spirit (and some say sheer madness) of these two individuals that has made the company such a success with productions even larger house will not approach.
 In 2007 the company produced [[Italo Montemezzi]]'s thrilling rarity ''[[L'amore dei tre re]]'' to great acclaim. The production was regarded as one of the most exciting in the company's history. In the same season OHP's production of [[Janáček]]'s ''[[Jenůfa]]'' was widely regarded as one of the best realisations of the opera ever seen in London.
@@ Line 23: / Line 26: @@
 In March 2008, Opera Holland Park's 2007 season was nominated in the category of Concert Series and Festival in the '''Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards.'''
-The 2009 season included such rarities as [[Janáček]]'s ''[[Káťa Kabanová]]'' and [[Donizetti]]'s ''[[Roberto Devereux]]'', while 2010 plans included ''[[Pelléas et Mélisande]]'' and [[Zandonai]]'s ''[[Francesca da Rimini (Zandonai)|Francesca da Rimini]]'' in addition to four  or five standard operas each season. The 2011 season includes productions of three major Italian rarities, Mascagni's ''[[L'Amico Fritz]]'', Puccini's ''[[La Rondine]]'' and Catalani's ''[[La Wally]]''.
+The 2009 season included [[Janáček]]'s ''[[Káťa Kabanová]]'' and [[Donizetti]]'s ''[[Roberto Devereux]]'', while 2010 plans included ''[[Pelléas et Mélisande]]'' and [[Zandonai]]'s ''[[Francesca da Rimini (Zandonai)|Francesca da Rimini]]'' in addition to four  or five standard operas each season. The 2011 season includes productions of three major Italian rarities, Mascagni's ''[[L'Amico Fritz]]'', Puccini's ''[[La Rondine]]'' and Catalani's ''[[La Wally]]''.
+In 2009 [[Nicholas Paget-Brown]] launched the Cultural Placemaking initiative  as part of the Council's Arts and Culture Policy. He explained that the plan was to build on the work of Opera Holland Park and [[Leighton House Museum]] to develop a broader coherent strategy to encourage developers to consider the Council's creative and artistic ambitions when working on a development project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leisuremanagement.co.uk/detail.cfm?pagetype=featuresonline&featureid=27611&mag=Leisure%20Management&linktype=story&source=none&ref=n|title = Creative Spirit}}</ref>
-Opera Holland Park was named Best Opera Company 2010 by ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' (London).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/operahollandpark/news/ohpnamedbestoperacompany.aspx |title=OHP named Best Opera Company |publisher=Rbkc.gov.uk |date=2009-09-17 |accessdate=2015-08-14}}</ref>
+==Film appearance==
+Opera Holland Park was featured in Woody Allen's 2010 film [[You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger]] in a scene using main cast members [[Anthony Hopkins]], [[Josh Brolin]], [[Naomi Watts]] and [[Lucy Punch]].
 ==See also==
@@ Line 35: / Line 41: @@
 ==External links==
 *[http://www.operahollandpark.com/ Opera Holland Park Official website]
-*[http://gallery.mac.com/perillo2#100122 Images of the venue]
+*[http://gallery.mac.com/perillo2#100122 Images of the venue]{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
+{{Coord|51|30|8.11|N|0|12|7.48|W|scale:3125_region:GB|display=title}}
+{{authority control}}
 [[Category:British opera companies]]
@@ Line 41: / Line 51: @@
 [[Category:Opera festivals]]
 [[Category:Opera in London]]
-[[Category:Parks and open spaces in Kensington and Chelsea]]
+[[Category:Parks and open spaces in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]]
+[[Category:Opera in the United Kingdom]]

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Germany
Artists	MusicBrainz

Latest revision as of 11:11, 6 February 2024

Management and organization[edit]

Film appearance[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]