Following the resignation of English National Opera’s chairman Martyn Rose, ENO has today announced that Dr Harry Brunjes is to replace him as acting chair. Brunjes has been on ENO’s board as a non-executive trustee for the past five years. He will remain in place until a full-time replacement is found for Rose, who had been in the unpaid voluntary role for two years, and will step down on 15 February.
The past year has been a difficult one for ENO, with a large cut in its Arts Council public funding prompting among other things the cancellation of a production of Orfeo planned for Bristol Old Vic. Speaking on behalf of the board, Dr Brunjes said “Martyn has led the organisation successfully through a very demanding period … Now that our plans for the future are agreed and ready for review by Arts Council England our focus must be on the execution of these plans.”
A spokesperson said the company was already on course for a balanced budget for the current financial year, and that the 2013/14 accounts, which will be published at the end of the month, would reveal a small surplus of around £200,000.
