The conductor and musical director of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) has hit out at politicians and what he called “misguided wokeism” for there being a “great suspicion” of opera and British cultural achievements.
Sir Antonio Pappano, 64, has been the musical director of the Royal Opera House for more than two decades before taking on the LSO position this year following Sir Simon Rattle stepping down.
The English-Italian conductor and pianist, who led the King’s Coronation Concert in 2023, was asked on BBC Radio 4’s This Cultural Life about opera facing financial pressures.
Sir Antonio said: “I think opera, in many quarters is seen as something elitist, I mean look the (British) politicians, for instance, don’t come to the opera house, they used to, whereas in Italy, the president of the republic would come and there’d big applause, it would be celebrated by the audience… in Germany too.
“Here it’s looked on with great suspicion. That drives me nuts, I have to tell you. England a haven for culture whether it is pop culture or classical culture, literary culture, theatrical culture, this is one of the great addresses and yet we’re embarrassed by it.”
He added that the opera industry has had a “rough time because the money becomes less and less every year”.
Sir Antonio also said: “Why be embarrassed about something that is a treasure, the Royal Opera House, the English National Opera, the Welsh National Opera are beacons, they’re internationally recognised and centres of excellence, you know, honing talent.”
He added that you have to “take care of the big places” such as the central opera house while spreading the funds elsewhere to the regional houses.
“There is a strange and misguided wokeism. If you’re supporting an opera in a church basement or something, that’s more important than the Royal Opera House, the English National Opera, the Welsh National Opera, give me a break,” Sir Antonio said.
He also dismissed people thinking opera is not a “growth industry” and urged for opera to be viewed in a “proud” lens.
His comments come amid plans by the English National Opera (ENO) to move out of London by 2029.
In December, it was announced that ENO had chosen Greater Manchester as its new main base.
