The New Opera Company was a British opera company active during the period 1956 to 1984. It was mainly based at Sadler's Wells Theatre , London and later worked in co-ordination with English National Opera . The company was responsible for the premieres or major revivals of important work in the operatic canon.
7-514: The Cambridge university opera company was formed in 1956 and the following year became the New Opera Company. The founders of the company were the conductor Leon Lovett, the administrator Peter Hemmings and musicologist Brian Trowell . Its inaugural productions were welcomed with enthusiasm by London critics; Andrew Porter praised the conducting of Lovett and Trowell's production of The Rake's Progress while in A Tale of Two Cities Lovett
14-569: A few independent productions elsewhere. Small-scale music theatre productions included Time Off? Not a Ghost of a Chance! ( Elizabeth Lutyens ), Dawnpath ( Nicola LeFanu ), A Full Moon in March (John Harbison) and Inner Voices (Brian Howard). In 1973 the ENO association was renewed and Edmund Tracey, Drama and Text director of Sadler's Wells Opera, joined the New Opera Company board, with Jeremy Caulton, assistant to Lord Harewood becoming general manager of
21-705: The Cambridge University Opera Group . That company's success led to the founding of the New Opera Company in 1957 with Hemmings as general manager. In 1966, he became the chief administrator of Scottish Opera , a position he held for almost 20 years. In 1977, he was appointed general manager of the Australian Opera , but clashed with the music director, Richard Bonynge . In that difficult time his most significant contribution to opera in Australia
28-580: The Greater London Council also gave funding. In 1971 Charles Mackerras and Anthony Besch joined the artistic council of the New Opera Company. In 1973 Anthony Besch was the Director of Productions. By that year the company had produced 34 works, of which 13 were world premieres and 12 were British premieres; works by 12 British composers were among those performed. Although mainly based in London it gave
35-606: The company. After collaborating with English National Opera for several years, their only association of a planned series with Opera North was in October 1984 in Leeds, with a run in London. The withdrawal of Arts Council funding was announced as part of the report 'The Glory of the Garden' and the company ceased operation after 1984. Grove comments that its "service to London opera in introducing new works, mostly in highly effective performances,
42-458: Was described as a "born conductor of opera", Besch's production was commended in the "spirited and effective performance". From 1957 to 1967 there was a close association between the New Opera Company and Sadler's Wells Opera with costume and scenery loans, assistance with technical equipment, and the engagement of singers. In the early 1970s the Arts Council considerably increased its grant, and
49-439: Was unparalleled". Within its repertoire the company performed many rare operas: Peter Hemmings Peter Hemmings OBE (10 April 1934 – 4 January 2002) was an English opera administrator, impresario and singer . As a singer, he was an accomplished chorister in his youth and had a fine bass voice . He was educated at Mill Hill School and began his administrative career as president of
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