Royal Opera seeking donors to fund its trills and frills
CHARITY donors have grown used to the idea their money will be used to buy specific items, such as mosquito nets and clean wells for struggling communities in the developing world.
But the fundraising tactic has now been adopted by an organisation not traditionally associated with miserable living conditions and a daily battle for survival, unless you count trying to get to the packed bar at the interval.
The Royal Opera House in London’s Covent Garden, where tickets can cost as much as £225, has launched a costume appeal to help pay for top hats, feathery dresses and glittery wigs.
Urging generous devotees of its productions to put their hands deep in pockets, the ROH points out that £31 could buy the 365 crystals needed to decorate one of the Caterpillar’s shoes in
while £45 can buy the fabric for one of the petticoats worn by the female chorus members in the new production of
The costume appeal has prompted some wry comments on social media, with users contrasting it to appeals by the likes of Oxfam and Action Aid for the world’s poor and dispossessed.
Trevor Wood, a maths and statistics consultant in Cambridge, wrote: “Moved to horrible tears by the poignancy of this charity appeal.” The ROH points out that as its public subsidy from the Arts Council falls it increasingly relies on fundraising to stage its shows and that its tradition of “excellence” costs money. Accounts for 2015 show that £29.3million brought in by fundraising comprised 23 per cent of income – up from £26 million (21 per cent) the year before. The ROH said: “This fundraising appeal, aimed at members of our audience, helps support the fantastic work of our costume department. We are very fortunate to benefit from the generosity of donors, as it allows us to bring the best of opera and ballet to all of our audiences.” Grace and beauty, but it costs £98 to make up a flamingo for the production of Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, based on Lewis Carroll’s book