The Stage

ROH vows to work with Lowry over Manchester outpost plans

Published Friday 17 July 2009 at 17:45 by Lalayn Baluch

Figures leading proposals for a Manchester outpost of the Royal Opera House have committed to working with nearby arts centre the Lowry, after it raised concerns that plans for the rival venue would “destroy” it.

According to a feasibility report created by the ROH and Manchester City Council, “progress” has been made with the Lowry in identifying artistic models that will address its concerns.

While the report concedes that “substantial uncertainties exist”, it states that all parties are committed to working together to “deliver a viable proposition”.

The document has claimed that companies who tour ballet and opera in the region, which had initially raised concerns, now endorse the plans.

Tony Hall, ROH chief executive, commented: “The progress we have made to realise the vision of a producing and training centre for the lyric arts is very exciting.

“Royal Opera House Manchester would deliver new work produced in, for and by Manchester and the north-west. Working closely with our partners, we will be developing and refining the project over the coming months.”

The document is based on four independent studies looking at the scheme’s artistic programming and learning offer, skills and employment development, economic impact and competitor analysis.

The ROH has said it will continue discussions about the new venture with partners throughout the summer, and government ministers in the autumn. It hopes to have the scheme “coming to fruition” in 2014.

Last month, trustees of the Lowry warned that the plan for the £100 million northern outpost of the ROH should be scrapped because it is “bad for Manchester, bad for the arts and bad for the taxpayer”.

They believe the proposal for a second home for the ROH would “destroy” the Lowry and threaten the £116 million of public subsidy already invested in it.

Responding to the feasibility study, a statement from the Lowry reiterated that the current proposal was not “workable”.

Leaders of the venue uphold that the way forward is to establish a “dual-house” model, which would see opera and ballet split between it and the new northern outpost of the ROH.

Lowry chairman Rod Aldridge said: “If the scheme goes ahead without safeguarding The Lowry, it will fail to deliver the project sponsors’ wider cultural and economic ambitions, and will threaten the £116m of public money invested in The Lowry.

“We remain open to continued dialogue with the project sponsors. The priority now must be to explore whether these serious obstacles can be overcome.”

For more, see next week’s edition of The Stage.