The Rouen opera forced to close, Nicolas-Mayer Rossignol appeals to the State
Through Adrian Filoche
Published on
updated on 2 Feb 23 at 20:37
[Article mis à jour jeudi 2 février 2023 à 20h37] Bad news for regulars Rouen Opera. The cultural establishment will close for six weeks Due to budget constraints. The announcement was made on Thursday February 2, 2023 by press release following the meeting of a board of directors.
To pay “save” the opera, the President of the Metropolis and the Mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignolannounces this Thursday evening to have arrested in writing the Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak.
“A massive blow”
The Rouen Normandie Opera states that “despite constant efforts at rationalization and savings […], the budgetary balances necessary to maintain all of the programming could not be obtained”. This solution intervenes “in order to best preserve the activity of the 2023-2024 school year”.
A union source interviewed by 76news said: “It’s a massive blow for the employees even if rumors have been circulating for several days already. »
Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol appeals to the government
In his letter to the Minister of Culture, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol considers the situation of the cultural establishment “extremely worrying”.
The Opéra de Rouen Normandie has been facing financial difficulties since 2018, aggravated by the current energy crisis.
The President of the Rouen Normandy Metropolis “confirms [son] desire to offer” to the elected representatives of the Metropolis − second largest funder of the opera to the tune of 1.7 million euros annually behind the Region (7.6 million) − toincrease the metropolitan financial contribution ” to the height of several hundred thousand euros per year “.
Only, “the Metropolis could obviously only produce the efforts necessary to restore the financial situation”, adds the city councilor, because “it simply does not have the means”.
“This is why I call on your support to contribute, with us, to saving
Rouen Normandy Opera, writes the mayor of Rouen to the minister. UN round table mobilizing, beyond the region and of the Metropolis, the State as well as the Departments of Seine-Maritime and Eure, maybe from break the deadlock current situation and quickly identify prospects. »
Several dates canceled
While waiting for new funding to be found, “it is heartbreaking for us to have to give up certain creations in the coming months and, even more, to suspend the participatory mechanisms patiently developed to allow as many people as possible to taste the joys of the opera”, regrets Loic Lachenal, general manager of the Opéra de Rouen Normandie.
Following this announcement, the Rouen opera detailed the list of upcoming canceled concerts:
- the participatory opera Cendrillon or the Grand Hôtel des Songes, scheduled from April 1 to 5;
- the French premiere of The Convert scheduled for May 4 and 6;
- the Notes gourmandes “Tales in music” of April 12;
- the Cordes Dansantes concerts on 13 and 14 April;
- the Notes gourmandes “Overtures” of May 3, as well as the chamber music concert;
- Memories and metamorphoses of May 7.
Spectators who have already purchased a ticket will be contacted to suggest a ticket report on another show or directly their refund. “This deterioration in activity means that 15,000 spectators, including 12,000 children, will be deprived of these programs,” explains the Rouen opera.
The cultural season will be relaunched on May 12 and 13, 2023 by the two Norman orchestras (the Orchester de l’Opéra de Rouen Normandie and the Orchester Régional de Normandie), gathered on the stage of the Théâtre des Arts.
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