Opera Holland Park - Management and Organization

Management and Organization

The company receives financial backing from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, plus a number of corporate sponsors, including Investec Wealth & Investment, a new title sponsor in 2011.

There is also a vibrant Friends organisation attached to the company who raise significant funds for development and who perform a central educational role as well. There are nearly 2,600 Friends of the company as well as nearly 100 elite donors called "Ambassadors".

While it is owned by the Royal Borough, it is characterised by the two people who run it: Michael Volpe (general manager) and James Clutton (producer).

The company reflects their image and philosophies, although both have backgrounds very far removed from the world of opera. Clutton inculcates a strong team atmosphere backstage and manages to persuade international singers to give their time at lower remuneration than they might ordinarily expect, whilst Volpe drives the business, has a penchant for obscure late Italian opera which Clutton translates brilliantly to the stage, and develops the audience and sponsors along similar dedicated lines. Both will be seen at the theatre on most nights - if not every night - and are always mixing with audience members, open to discussion and the odd glass of champagne. It is the bold, indefatigable spirit (and some say sheer madness) of these two individuals that has made the company such a success with productions even larger house will not approach.

In 2007 the company produced Italo Montemezzi's thrilling rarity L'amore dei tre re to great acclaim. The production was regarded as one of the most exciting in the company's history. In the same season OHP's production of Janáček's Jenůfa was widely regarded as one of the best realisations of the opera ever seen in London.

In March 2008, Opera Holland Park's 2007 season was nominated in the category of Concert Series and Festival in the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards.

The 2009 season included such rarities as Janacek's Káťa Kabanová and Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, while 2010 plans included Pelléas et Mélisande and Zandonai's Francesca da Rimini in addition to four or five standard operas each season. The 2011 season includes productions of three major Italian rarities, Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz, Puccini's La Rondine and Catalani's La Wally.

Opera Holland Park was named Best Opera Company 2010 by The Sunday Times.