Save The Manchester Palace Theatre — Page 2

You will see in a lot of the press releases about the Royal Opera playing Manchester for approximately 25 weeks per year. Pay NO attention to that, it reads like the Palace will have 25 weeks of ballet and opera and they then can play host to other more mainstream productions- so NOT true.

This is a bit long but anyone interested in the Palaces future will, I hope, find it interesting!

This is what happened in Cardiff involving Welsh National Opera (WNO), the New Theatre and the sparkling new Wales Millennium Centre.

20 odd years ago WNO wanted to have a major opera house as its home in Cardiff. At this time, one of Cardiff's grandest and largest cinemas was coming to the end of its life as a major cinema in the city. The Capitol Theatre (2500 seats-perfect for opera) on Queen Street was tipped to become the new home, after huge refurbishment etc, of Welsh National Opera.
WNO, as most arty farty companies do, scoffed at this, that and the other, regarding funding etc and pretty soon, and way too late, The Capitol Cinema was demolished amide very little protest and a shopping centre built in its place. This disaster ensured that WNO would now have to make do with the impossibly small New Theatre being its home for the next 25 years.

Fast forward to the late 90s and Cardiff makes great fanfare that a huge new complex would be built in Cardiff docks and will have a grand opera house that will be the new, long awaited home of WNO.
When the WMC opened it did indeed become the envy of the opera world with the facilities it provided for WNO. It had a base for its scene building unit that would now vacate its other Cardiff base. All rehearsals could now take place within the one building.
Sounds great, yes.
Sounds great if your WNO but not if your the owner of this wonderful new entertainment centre for Cardiff.
The problem that has occurred now is that WNO take up about approx 20 weeks of opera performances in the main auditorium but a great many more preparing the operas when other major productions are turned away. This leaves many, many nights when the WMC has to remain dark for rehearsals, set building etc thus preventing it being able to take in many mainstream touring productions as is the want of the management. So far the WMC has been home to the tours of 'The Producers', 'The Sound Of Music', 'Guys And Dolls' and many more but it has been announced that it is losing millions a year through lost revenue. This due solely because of WNOs residence.
This is the situation that may happen in Manchester, the people of the city will be told 'oh we're (the Royal Opera and ballet) only here 25 weeks a year and you can have your theatre back the other 27 weeks'. WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!, because the Royal Opera and Ballet intend to have the Palace as a Northern base therefore providing the same problem as at the WMC- lots of grand opera but not much else!

LONG LIVE THE PALACE!

Updated On: 9/30/09 at 06:22 AM

No prob doll.
You know me, from now on I will be fighting it as hard as you are. X

CARRIE YOU ARE AN ANGEL! x
Does that mean it stays there now for awhile?

Fnar. And am writing an article for the Guardian about it tomorrow. PM me if you're happy to be quoted with real names x

Thanks folks, get everyone you8 can to sign this petition, we will need all the help we can get.

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Just seen this and signed!

you have my support sadm2 ! from pictures and from what people have told me its a beautiful place and i dont think a perfectly good touring theatre should be tunred into an opera house ! LONG LIVE THE PALACE !

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Interesting comment from Rosemary Squires about the possibility of the Royal Opera House plan being split between The Lowry and The Palace.
I honestly cant see ATG taking on THe Palace and then not being able to use it as a premier theatre.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1180538_manchesters_palace_theatre_and_opera_house_sold_to_ambassador_group

After getting its hands on the Manchester Palace last week ATG directors have quietly said that the prospect of letting the Palace become home to the Royal Opera And Ballet is by no means certain.
They stated that although they agreed it was a good idea to let the regions get more grand opera and ballet they stated they did not fully agree to the Palace becoming a full time opera house as has been the plans by the ROH directors and Manchester City Council.
They have planned meetings with both parties in the coming weeks.
Lets hope ATG stand their guns and keep the Palace as a major touring venue for Manchester.

According to the article, The Palace would still host opera -

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/26553/royal-opera-house-strikes-deal-with-lowry

The Palace is sadly not saved
It will share duties with the brilliant Lowry theatre (they will take the dance the Palace will take the Opera)
This means that the palace will have a few months of the year in theory to book in musical theatre etc but im very skeptical, it will also just be able to book whats playing at the time the venue is free.

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