UK Edition
Embarrassment for English National Opera as much-hyped Blackpool venue spurns them for rival show
English National Opera has been forced to postpone its much-hyped season of The Mikado in Blackpool next year, after the regional venue got a better offer.
ENO have admitted the invitation to perform for ten nights at the Blackpool Winter Gardens in Spring 2017 had not been followed through, despite being widely publicised by the opera company earlier this year.
In a statement bound to cause red faces, ENO said it had been asked to postpone Jonathan Miller's The Mikado until an unspecified date in 2018.
A spokesman for the Winter Gardens said it had provisionally agreed dates for the show, but had since enjoyed approaches from other producers for the dates in May.
It has not yet confirmed which show is to be scheduled in its place, with listings currently showing just a ballroom dancing festival in a different part of the hall.
The announcement will be seen as a further blow to ENO, which has been wracked with troubles in the last few years.
Its recent plans have seen it find novel ways to boost its finances, including cutting its number of full-scale productions, renting its home at the London Coliseum out to musicals for a lucrative summer season, and leaving the capital "for the first time in many years".
The Mikado was to see the ENO chorus - which went on strike over pay and conditions earlier this year - perform together in what may have proved a costly exercise to transport the full staging to Blackpool.
The company's management have previously been criticised for its artistic decisions, but have emphasised stringent cuts are essential to ensure the company's survival after it was placed in special measures by the Arts Council.
A spokesman for ENO said: "Earlier this year the Opera House at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool and Blackpool Council invited us to perform The Mikado in Spring 2017.
"They have now asked us to postpone our planned schedule of performances next year with a view that these will take place in 2018.
"Given that this is an important collaboration for us we have agreed to postpone our planned performances."
A spokesman for Blackpool Winter Gardens said: “Bringing the ENO to Blackpool Opera House is certainly something that is very exciting and we have talked extensively with their team about this.
“We provisionally agreed dates with ENO for May 2017 but then had other approaches from show producers for these dates. As we look to maximise our diary occupancy we considered all the options and consequently, we are now looking to schedule ENO in 2018.”