Is this what #Wales and sustainable jobs in #arts and #culture deserve? Step. Up. #saveourWNO #SaveWNO

Must read thread from Elizabeth Atherton who has been an incredible advocate for saving #WNO from the ongoing cultural vandalism of our times.

And Llinos Elin Owen is exactly right. If #WNO were to be awarded an extra emergency cash injection why on earth wouldn’t they use it to secure their musicians’ livelihoods? They’re an opera company and the core of their product is their musicians who need full-time jobs. #SaveWNO

This thread by a regular of Welsh National Opera says what needs to be said. The #Orchestra and #Chorus need to be retained on full-time contracts. Once the core of the company is cut into it will be the beginning of the end. #SaveWNO Jack Sargeant MS Eluned Morgan Equity Musicians' Union

Signed. Please, when will the UK stop vandalising and destroying its world class arts? When will we hear about music in every school, and all children given the chance to learn an instrument?

I nominated Welsh National Opera for this award as it was one of the finest productions I’ve ever seen. And it would in no way have been possible to put on at this level without a full-time #Chorus and #Orchestra… #SaveWNO Lisa Nandy MP Jack Sargeant MS Chris Bryant

Elizabeth Atherton Welsh National Opera Lisa Nandy MP Jack Sargeant MS Chris Bryant Equity Musicians' Union Delyth Jewell AS / MS Caroline Dinenage MP Bambos Charalambous It’s a bleak outlook for opera in the UK: I’m told that one other “full-time” company is planning only three shows, one new, two revivals for the entirety of 2025/26. That’s not what I call “full-time” 🙄😬😳

Me too. But the management at Welsh National Opera need to understand that it simply wouldn’t have been the show it was with a part-time ensemble of musicians heavily reliant on freelancers to fill the gaps. 😠 #SaveWNO Equity Musicians' Union Jack Sargeant MS Caroline Dinenage MP Bambos Charalambous

Recognition of the quality & calibre of Welsh National Opera’s core output. Their operatic productions should be the primary focus of the company, & the safeguarding of their performing ensemble their key priority. For shame Arts Council England & Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales putting all this at risk.

Great article by Neil Fisher in the Times this morning, laying out the consequences for #SaveWNO of devastating cuts by Arts Council England and Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales

“I’ve never seen morale so low, and I’ve never seen people quite so angry at the way we’ve been treated.” Cuts, strikes and a bold new director: who can save Welsh National Opera? Neil Fisher Welsh Government & Department for Culture, Media and Sport could if they so chose. #SaveWNO thetimes.com/article/ba9932…

Wonderful and I hope they repeat this, but please no more near deaths for #WNO 🙏 Elizabeth Atherton Other things in Wales are sadly folding including Lampeter Music Club (where my London Chamber Ensemble was born 1992 Vale of Glamorgan Music Festival). Our quartet concert 29.10 is in their final season.

This does not mean that the fight is over. The road ahead is long, and Welsh Government & GOV.UK still need to get over the detail and begin to show some proper support for Welsh National Opera and opera & the arts in general. And that doesn’t just mean more platitudes. #SaveWNO

First schools’ concert of the new season and Welsh National Opera is back at it, with the #Orchestra performing like the consummate professionals they are despite facing paycuts & a casualised contract. I bet these kids had an amazing time & left inspired and uplifted. #SaveWNO