Rotten tomatoes for ‘snobs’ who hate opera in English
Former ENO director condemns calls to give up on its founding principle and rely more on subtitles
IT IS one of the founding principles of English National Opera to stage work only in the English language to make the art form more accessible to everyone. However, the policy has come under growing criticism, with suggestions that it is “provincial” in a world of surtitles. Critics insist that ENO should stage operas in their original language.
Now the company’s former music director has hit out at those agitating for change, claiming they are perpetuating “cultural elitism” by hoping to “keep the riff-raff away”.
Mark Wigglesworth, who left ENO in 2016 amid budget cuts and changes to the company, warned of the “unspoken view” of some of those hoping to see opera in Italian or German, claiming they take a “certain pleasure” in making it inaccessible.
“The rumours whispering through the cracks of the London Coliseum are alarming for those who believe English National Opera has a vital role to play in making opera accessible to all,” he said.
“If the language policy that forms such a pillar of its identity is abandoned, it would be a betrayal of the company’s most valuable mission to perform opera in a way that can be understood by the largest number of people.” Writing for Bachtrack, a classical music website, Mr Wigglesworth argued that accessibility was “not really about the price of a ticket” but performances that “reward people’s decision to come” by being understood.
“A more unspoken view is one that thinks singing in a foreign language “keeps the riff-raff away’,” he said. “An accusation of vanity is unfair to the majority of original language devotees but I believe a certain pleasure in cultural elitism exists, even if only by a few.”
Claiming Verdi and Wagner were “energetically supportive of translations”, he added: “It would have been inconceivable to them that the words wouldn’t have been understood.”
Wigglesworth added: “Without pride in its past and faith in its future English National Opera will struggle to maintain its distinctive raison d’être. As ENO used to say: Opera in English speaks for itself.”
ENO denied its English language-only policy was at risk of changing, as a spokesman emphasised the company’s belief that it adds to making opera accessible for all. Its website states: “We believe that singing in English enhances the emotional connection between performers and audiences.”
The opinion piece followed an interview with Barrie Kosky, an Australian theatre and opera director, who said he had advised Daniel Kramer, ENO’S artistic director, to “bite the bullet and get rid of the all-singing-in-english thing”.
“You can still be called English National Opera but you need to get rid of that, because it just smells slightly provincial in the world of subtitles,” he said.