Dunedin-born man in charge of Royal Opera House

Press, 26 December 1987, Page 13

Dunedin-born man in charge of Royal Opera House

From

Tony Verdon

in London A New Zealand-born music buff, Mr Paul Findlay, has been appointed to a top job in one of the world’s most prestigious opera companies; the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Although now a British citizen, Mr Findlay was born in Dunedin where his father was professor of philosophy at Otago University. Paul Findlay’s son is on a job experience exchange programme in Queenstown, and the family will spend this Christmas-New Year touring throughout New Zealand. In his new job Mr Findlay, aged 44, is responsible for the artistic policy, management and finances of the Royal Opera, one of the three companies of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The famous central London opera and ballet venue is at the centre of a big row over its re-de-velopment, while the company also struggles to survive with lower government subsidies. But in spite of the problems, Mr. Findlay takes over the position at a time when opera in particular is enjoying a resurgence in popular appeal in Britain. This is taking place even though the best seats for the Royal Opera at Covent Garden can cost up to $l6B. Mr Findlay says that most seats in the Opera House are cheaper, and

the cheaper seat prices have been deliberately kept low.

“You can still get into an opera performance for (around $5.60) £2. Okay, you are up in the upper tiers, but what theatre could you get into in the West End for that?”

“I believe that opera should be accessible — it is an art form that is not difficult and people are beginning to realise that,” he said.

Young people in particular had to be given the chance to be introduced to opera.

“Later, people can decide where their priorities are, is it a bottle of whisky, is it belting up and down the motorways, is it foreign travel or is it coming to Covent Garden” said Mr Findlay. The Royal Opera House employed 1000 people, who produce more than 500 performances a year. This was a phenomenal output, achieved with the lowest government subsidy of any of the big opera houses in the world. Marketing the opera and broadening its audience have been a key part of his work at the Royal Opera House since he joined the staff in 1968 as an assistant press officer.

Mr Findlay has been assistant director of the Royal Opera House since 1973, with a wide range of responsibilities covering the three Covent Garden companies — the Royal Opera, Royal Ballet, and Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet.

He has been responsible

for organising all the major overseas tours by the three companies, including two by the Sadler’s Wells company to New Zealand. “When we were contemplating a tour to Australia in 1982 I thought that the opportunity was too good to miss,” said Mr Findlay. “New Zealand was just over the water and so we arranged the tours, which was the first time I had been back since I left in 1945, at the age of 18 months.” But a second trip by the company in 1985, gave him an even greater personal sense of achievement, because it included his home town, Dunedin. “I thought here we are, I got them back. I was standing on the stage and I thought I had given Dunedin something back, because they hadn’t seen a major classical ballet with full orchestra since the company had last

been there in 1957.” But Mr Findlay has also organised large-scale tours to Japan and Korea, the United States and throughout Europe. “One of my other proudest achievements was getting the company through India, where no company had toured with full costume and scenery,” he said. The 1985 Indian tour had taken seven visits over a period of two years to organise. Mr Findlay has also been responsible for the Royal Opera House’s education department, and with getting promenade concerts under way.

Another achievement was the relaying of “La Boheme” with Placido Domingo on a giant outdoor screen in the Piazza at Covent Garden last summer. “That did more to make ourselves accessible than perhaps anything, and it did a lot for the image of Covent Garden,” he said. , Mr Findlay hopes such live transmissions will become a regular feature at Covent Garden.

A computerised box office was his last major achievement in his previous position as assistant director of the Royal Opera House. “Let’s hope that in two years time when you go to buy a ticket from British Airways in Auckland they will say ‘Do you want to buy a ticket at Covent Garden while you are here because I have special access to the Covent Garden computer.’ Mr Findlay, his wife,

Francois, his son, Anthony, aged 19, and daughter, Lucy, aged 15, will spend three weeks on holiday in New Zealand. “I love the country — I didn’t realise it was so beautiful,” he says. “My wife who came with me with the greatest reluctance last time — she said she can’t spend 27 hours in an aircraft — can’t wait to go back with me.” Mr Findlay’s father, John Findlay, who was professor of philosophy at Otago University for 10 years until the family left New Zealand, became one of the world’s most distinguished philosophers. He died in the United States earlier this year. Mid-way through January Mr Findlay will return to his Covent Garden office, where controversy still rages over redevelopment plans for the Royal Opera House.

Local residents fear the proposals could jeopardise the unique character of the area, and are challenging the plans through the courts.

The objections centre on plans for office and residential buildings on Royal Opera House land. But Mr Findlay says it is inevitable some of the land was to be used to help pay for the redevelopment of the Opera House.

"I just find it very sad that when we have this unique corner of London we have to give it up but it is an inevitable fact under government policy,” he said.