English Touring Opera

English Touring Opera (ETO) is an opera company in the United Kingdom founded in 1979 under the name Opera 80 by the then-existing Arts Council of Great Britain. In 1992 the company changed to its present name. Today it is sponsored in part by Arts Council England as well as receiving support from individual and corporate sponsors, plus trusts and foundations. The company aims to bring high quality opera to areas of England that would not otherwise have ready access to such productions. Since 2002, its General Director (and acclaimed stage director of several productions) has been James Conway, who came from the Opera Theatre of Ireland. Its Music Director, also since 2002, is Michael Rosewell.

Opera 80 itself became the successor to Opera For All, an "umbrella organization" which had planned tours by small groups which performed to piano accompaniment.David Parry became music director in 1983.

ETO is a charitable organization which seeks to stimulate access, understanding and appreciation of opera. The company has always presented operas in English and it currently tours twice each year to more venues than any other opera company in the UK, going to about 33 theatres, many of which would not normally host opera performances. These include London, Cambridge, Exeter, Poole, Cheltenham, Malvern, Crawley, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Buxton, Durham and Perth. It is estimated that the Spring 2012 tour included "nearly 50 gigs".

As James Conway notes:

In Britain's economic climate of 2012, Arts Council England grants have increased by about 50% since 2002 and "English Touring Opera....will receive £1,577,015 in 2012/13, rising to £1,819,244 in 2014/15. This is expected to allow the company to sustain its current level of touring over the coming year, then to increase its programme of activity from 2012 onwards."

Singers whose early careers began with ETO often return to perform again with the company after their careers have developed further.

Singers who have performed with ETO include Sarah Connolly, Mary Plazas, Sylvia O'Brien, Todd Wilander, Jonathan Veira, Paul Nilon, Alison Hagley and Susan Gritton. Amanda Echalaz has starred in the recent productions of Così fan tutte, Alcina, Eugene Onegin and Jenůfa.

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