Hampstead Garden Opera Candidate Information Pack Executive Chair of Trustees November 2017
Hampstead Garden Opera Hampstead Garden Opera Trust Ltd (HGO) is a registered company and charity bringing reasonably priced live opera, fully staged with orchestra, to the people of North London. We offer performance and training opportunities to young singers and are champions of the art form, encouraging interest in opera and laying a foundation for up-and-coming talent within the genre. Critically acclaimed, we have been recognised as one of the finest small opera companies in the industry and punch well above our weight. We have won and been nominated for the Offie for Best Opera Production, which is awarded to the best production outside the West End. HGO is run by volunteers. We stage two operas a year (May and November) with ten performances each. Our operas are double cast, each cast singing five times. Performances are staged in the 166 seat Jacksons Lane Theatre near Highgate underground station. As with most opera, each production delivers a deficit of many thousands of pounds and the organization supports itself through donations and fundraising. As any emerging talent knows, it is difficult to get the chance to sing a role especially in a quality production. We give them that chance to experience the whole process of rehearsal and performance to a professional standard. For a young person, struggling to make a career as a singer, this is a chance to build a portfolio and gain invaluable experience, networks and publicity.
Finance Each opera costs about 45,000 to stage and yields about 25,000 in box office revenue, ratios not unusual in this field, leading to a deficit of 20,000 to be met by donations and grants. The company has no paid staff and no premises. Overheads are close to zero and almost every penny raised goes into the productions, and to the benefit of the singers. Year by year, we are building up the Friends of HGO, those supporters who give an annual donation by standing order. This is as near as we get to guaranteed income and currently yields somewhat more than 10,000 per year. Having changed our corporate nature from charitable trust to the present charitable company limited by guarantee, we are able to claim Theatre Tax Relief. This amounts to some 9,000 each year. The Role: Executive Chair of Trustees After many years of service, the current Chair wishes to step down. Hampstead Garden Opera is now looking to appoint a new Chair, who will also lead the steering committee. HGO consider this role to be, on a small scale, a Chief Executive role. It is a wonderfully rewarding volunteer opportunity and the successful applicant will effectively direct a small but professional opera company. Although HGO is small in financial terms, this is not a simple job. It will be a worthwhile challenge for a person of high calibre who has a genuine passion for opera and wants to take the reins of an independent charity and theatrical company. The Chair will need to be able to think logically and creatively about all aspects of the business and will need to bring together the various trustees and volunteers, harnessing their collective skills and experience to produce memorable and exciting operatic productions.
Duties Lead and enthuse the existing volunteer team, Ensure the recruitment of new volunteers Maintain and, as necessary, strengthen the team Project the organisation to the public Build and maintain relationships with creative artists Ensure a sufficient flow of donations and grants for the organisation to remain viable Build the organisation s capacity Person description The person taking on this role may find that it will become a big part of their life, but it is acknowledged that the involvement could be significantly reduced by recruiting more volunteers and developing the balance between strategic and executive action. Applicants need not be musicians, but a love of opera is inherent in the role. Requisite attributes for candidates to have are wide but the following are essential: Managerial experience Leadership qualities An understanding of work in the voluntary sector Clear thinking Imagination, creativity and commitment What impact will the opportunity have? HGO brings high quality live opera at affordable prices to the people of north London. It also provides, at no cost, training and performance opportunities to aspiring young singers. HGO has been doing this for 27 years, but the complexities and challenges have become ever greater. The future health, and possibly existence, of HGO will be substantially determined by the quality of the person taking this position. What is in it for the volunteer? The present Chair maintains that this is one of the best voluntary jobs in the world. Every six months, a new cohort of highly talented young singers is engaged by the organisation along with its creative team. In addition to this, the appointed candidate will have the opportunity to become deeply engaged with the Opera scene, dealing with critics, actors, singers and musicians from all walks of life. The present Chair comments: Together, they grow, and create a wonderful show. To be a part of this is a privilege and a joy.
Time commitment The present chair does a significant amount of hands-on work as well as leading and directing the team. The role might take up to two days a week, but this could be reduced by delegation. Ultimately the time spent will depend on how the new chair makes his or her imprint on the running of the company. Location The operas are performed at the Jacksons Lane theatre, N6 5AA. This is part of a community centre. HGO is bedded into the local community, and the appointee will need to become a part of this community. Residence in the vicinity is highly desirable but not essential for the right candidate. How to apply All applications will be made to Reach Volunteering in the first instance. You will provide: A current CV and a covering letter explaining your interest in the role and the organisation as well as what you feel you would bring to the board as the Chair. All applications should be submitted via email to: trusteeworks@reachskills.org.uk If you have any further questions or would like to explore the role informally, please don t hesitate to get in touch: Luke Strachan TrusteeWorks Manager Reach Volunteering trusteeworks@reachskills.org.uk 020 7582 6543
2017 Productions The Enchanted Pig (Nov 17) The Enchanted Pig is a magical journey of an opera, says director Laura Attridge, Based on a Romanian fairy tale, the story explores the different forms love can take, and celebrates love s transformative power. Our protagonist is Flora, a princess who goes literally to the ends of the earth (and beyond!) to rescue her husband, the eponymous Enchanted Pig, from the Old Woman who has kidnapped him. On the way, she meets an extraordinary array of characters, each with something to teach her, including Mr and Mrs North Wind, Moon, Sun and Day. L Incoronazione Di Poppea (May 17) When you re the ruler of the world, tiny matters like morality and prudence no longer seem that relevant. If the emperor desires a woman, he takes her, and anyone who gets in his way from his existing, neglected wife to his disapproving tutor must suffer the consequences. Critical Acclaim "The front row of the audience is so close to the singers that they could easily join in the singing; costumes, lights and production values are just as high quality as at ENO or ROH." - Adrian Mourby for Inside Out Luxury Magazine "Hampstead Garden Opera at Upstairs at the Gatehouse has been proving for 22 years that you can perform with respect and honour with young professionals in a back room; for a start they take the pieces - and the old stuff like musical standards - seriously."- Robert Thicknesse on 'Così fan tutte' for Opera Now Hampstead Garden Opera are swiftly becoming a favourite. Their productions are small but perfectly formed, and their own delight in the art form is infectious. As for this production in particular well, I can t fault it." - Francesca Wickers for Fringe Opera Please click the following link to watch a clip of the rehearsal session of The Enchanted Pig