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Who earns £630,000 at the Royal Opera House?

Who earns £630,000 at the Royal Opera House?

Covent Garden report reveals top salaries way above Southbank Centre or National Theatre chiefs

by Tuesday, 26 October 2010
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As arts cuts announced today start to bite, few people are aware that the Royal Opera House pays its two top people more than £630,000 and nearly £400,000 each. Although Covent Garden is refusing to identify them, it is likely that they are chief executive Lord Hall and music director Antonio Pappano. But they are not likely to have to sacrifice their earnings even while smaller arts organisations fold.

As arts cuts announced today start to bite, few people are aware that the Royal Opera House pays its two top people more than £630,000 and nearly £400,000 each. Although Covent Garden is refusing to identify them, it is likely that they are chief executive Lord Hall and music director Antonio Pappano. But they are not likely to have to sacrifice their earnings even while smaller arts organisations fold.

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Submitted by Tim Nunn (not verified) on Wed, 27/10/2010 - 13:04
NIce article and good to see this information pushed into discussion. It'd be great to see similar figures for similar national organisations in Scotland. One question that has been raised since I Tweeted this story earlier today: why do you not name the author of this article? I think I'm correct in saying that other articles like this are also published without the name of the author.

Submitted by Claire Wrathall (not verified) on Wed, 27/10/2010 - 14:27
The Arts Council is indeed a model of open reporting, but the annual report you provide a link to contradicts your assertion that “its top salaries are no more than £110,000 - with eight people on that level”. Rather it tells us that in the year ended 31 March 2010, its chief executive Alan Davey's remuneration was £191,000 (as against £175,000 the preceding year, 08/09, so quite a hefty raise in a recession), COO Althea Efunshile's was£157,000 and a further four staff were on more than £115,000.

Submitted by Vin Harrop (not verified) on Sat, 06/11/2010 - 10:08
There was a time when it was an honour and a privilege to work in the arts for the good of the community as a whole. We now seem to have a new bread of directors and chief executives, many of whom come from outside the arts world, who see it as a way of making a name for themselves, achieving public recognition and taking more out of the 'public purse' than they really do deserve. Perhaps with the forthcoming cuts arts boards will come to realize that these people will work for far less- if forced to, which will have the effect of bringing much more dedication to the job.I was never paid a penance -just sightly more than that, but I was happy in the knowledge that I was playing some part in introducing the public to the arts. It was worth it!

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