John Tooley

Sir John Tooley (born 1 June 1924) is a former general director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. He has also held a range of appointments in the musical world, serving as a trustee or board member for many organisations.

After serving for 15 years as assistant and later deputy to Sir David Webster, the founder of the Royal Opera, Tooley succeeded him as general administrator in 1970 and served in the post (later retitled general director) until retiring in 1988.

Tooley was born in Rochester and educated at Repton School and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He had ambitions to become a professional singer, but concluding that he was not good enough, he decided on a career as a musical administrator. As an assistant adjutant in the Rifle Brigade during the Second World War, he learned much about administration. After that, his friends advised him to prepare himself for his planned career by working in industry for a few years to learn more about management. He joined the Ford Motor Company, where he worked, he said, "with some enlightened people", gaining experience. In 1952 he was appointed secretary to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, remaining in the post until 1955, when he began his career at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

In 1955 the Royal Opera House underwent an internal reorganisation. The deputy general administrator, Sir Steuart Wilson, left and Tooley was appointed assistant to the general administrator, David Webster. He was promoted to assistant general administrator in 1960, and served in that post until Webster's retirement in 1970. In the late 1960s, Webster's health became uncertain, and much of the day-to-day business of running the opera house fell to Tooley. He was appointed to succeed Webster, and held the post of general administrator until 1980, when it was renamed general director. He retired from the post in 1988.

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