Conference 2006

The 2006 OMTF Conference is your opportunity to meet movers and shakers within the sector and consider major issues that affect opera and music theatre.  This year we are delighted to be working with the Royal Opera House to explore the creative possibilities presented by partnerships.

As opera and music theatre productions become increasingly challenging and costly to mount, partnerships are frequently mooted as the way forward.  Is this a cynical cost-cutting exercise or is there real added value?  Does it involve fruitless extra work or do companies truly learn from each other?  Do partnerships just result in debilitating compromise, or do organisations find additional, lasting inspiration?  The 2006 conference sets out to examine a variety of partnership experiences past, present and future.

Performance of Bird of Night*
Our conference opens with a performance of the new opera by Dominique Le Gendre, with a libretto by Paul Bentley.  Her first short opera of the same name was originally created for ROH2's A Nitro At The Opera.  This new full-length Royal Opera commission picks up the story of Apolline, the child who harnesses mystical powers to fly.  The development of the work in partnership with OperaGenesis will be discussed on Thursday morning.

Partnerships in practice
Baroness McIntosh talks to organisations which have made ground-breaking partnerships.  Case studies will include Bird of Night, Operagenesis and the Royal Opera; English Touring Opera with a touring venue; The Philharmonia Orchestra with British Telecom; and the Yo! Festival, Utrecht who have partnered with companies across Europe.

Future partnerships
A forum to discuss how the sector might work together in a national partnership to maximise the opportunities and challenge of the 2012 Olympics. 

Developing Work
Afternoon panel session focussing on how partnerships can enable the development of new work.  Speakers include: Bill Bankes-Jones, chairman, OMTF and Artistic Director, Tête à Tête; John Lloyd Davies, Head of Opera Development, ROH2, and Chris Grady, Musical Theatre Matters

COSTS
October 25 £20.00 Bird of Night* ticket including welcome drinks

October 26 Conference (10am - 4pm) including lunch:
First delegate £40 + VAT (Total £47)
Additional delegates: £32 + VAT (£37.60)
OMTF Members £30 + VAT (Total £35.25)
Additional delegates: £20 + VAT (£23.50)

Start times
October 25: Bird of Night starts at 7pm
October 26: the 2006 OMTF conference runs from 10.30 - 4pm.

*Please note that the performance on October 25th is limited to 20 places which will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so please book promptly.