Intermezzo

ENO half price cinema offer

Get two tickets for the price of one to tomorrow's cinema screening of Benvenuto Cellini when you subscribe to the ENO Screen newsletter. Participating cinemas are listed here.

This is the best thing ENO have done in years, so don't miss it.

Jazz hands please

One of the most controversial aspects of ENO's new season is the decision to branch out into musicals.

In partnership with Michael Grade and Michael Linnit they plan to develop new productions of "the finest musicals". The idea is to grab back some of the weeks the Coliseum is currently hired out to visiting dance companies and use them to create one new musical production a year. ENO's technical resources and orchestra will be drawn on, as well as their theatre. It is hoped that productions may transfer to the West End, which is where the real goldmine lies. The National Theatre have made millions over the years from transfers like War Horse and The History Boys, and ENO are keen to follow in their footsteps.

Quite apart from justifiable and understandable artistic concerns - in other words, should an opera company be producing musicals? - there are more troubling financial questions to be answered.

Has ENO finally woken up to reality?

With a looming deficit only staved off by the generosity of an anonymous donor, a third of the seats empty each night, and widespread criticism of some dubious artistic decisions, ENO had to do something to dig themselves out the quicksand.

The 2014-15 season, announced today, seems designed to place quality above novelty (at long last) and, more importantly in the short term, to put bums back on seats. Some might call it boring. I think it's a long-overdue recognition of limitations.

ENO's new chief executive is......John Berry

ENO today announced the appointment of Henriette Götz as Executive Director.

At first glance it looks like she's a replacement for Loretta Tomasi, who stepped down as Chief Executive at the end of 2013.

But no. Read on.  

John Berry, currently the Artistic Director "will lead the executive team, as well as continuing to lead on the company’s ambitious artistic programme". So this change places him in charge of everything. As Executive Director, Götz will only be responsible for operational matters.   

Whether or not you think Berry himself is the cause of ENO's artistic and financial malaise, there's no question he has failed to resolve it. Will the increase in his powers make things better or worse? Guesses welcome.

Even more ENO discounts

On the chopping block - for the next 48 hours only - are Cosi Fan Tutte, Benvenuto Cellini and The Pearl Fishers, with up to 30% off Dress Circle and Upper Circle seats.

UKtickets and LastMinuteTheatreTickets are both offering what looks like the same deal.

Neither the seats on offer (near the back) nor the discount are that impressive, so you may find a better deal later on - especially as none of the three shows appear to be selling well.

Incidentally, it's interesting to see how few takers there are for balcony seats (formerly the first to go). Couldn't be anything to do with the massive price rise, could it?

ENO Rigoletto Twofer

Two tickets for Christopher Aldens' new ENO Rigoletto can be yours for the price of one using the promocode ENOVERDI.

The offer is available for all remaining shows excludes top price tickets (£110) and Secret Seats.

I usually test out these offers before posting, but I can't reach the ENO booking pages right now because they are TOO BUSY. Has the opera world gone totally mad? Next thing you know, international sopranos will be cancelling role debuts the week before rehearsals start. Oh, hang on.