The project by which the Government of Romania is preparing the merger of the Bucharest National Opera with the Romanian Youth National Art Center has fired up spirits. Conductor Daniel Jinga, ONB manager, explained to Adevărul what this initiative means.
Daniel Jinga. Source: Bucharest National Opera.
The conductor Daniel Jinga, the manager of the Bucharest National Opera, provided, for adevarul.ro, details about the initiative to merge the two institutions, which some of the artists have shown that they view with suspicion.
The merger initiative, aimed at reducing expenses
“This change came in the first phase from the Government’s need to optimize the state apparatus, to reduce expenses in the ministries. Culture is a separate field, it is not restructured like an office or a factory. And because the Opera is the largest institution in the portfolio of the Ministry of Culture, we quickly moved on to the search for a solution”, says Daniel Jinga
In the second, much more important phase, he says, the needs of the Opera and other performance institutions were discussed. Performance institutions benefited, in 2023, from a 45 percent increase in the number of spectators compared to 2022. Music institutions, in particular, had even greater increases. ONB had a growth of 127 percent higher than the best year before the pandemic, 2019, says Daniel Jinga.
“But the ensembles of the Romanian Youth, which do not have a permanent season like the Opera or the dramatic theaters, did not have the chance of this type of exposure. How the Opera runs a program dedicated to young artists (Ludovic Spiess Studio) like all the major Operas in the world have, for example: Accademia Teatro alla Scala, Jette Parker Young Artists Program (at Covent Garden), L’Accademie de L’Opéra national de Paris, Lindemann Young Artist Development Program (Metropolitan Opera, New York), International Opera Studio (Zurich Opera), this union of the Bucharest National Opera with the “Romanian Youth” Art Center and the Romanian Youth Orchestra quickly gained solid motivation for a clear and generous purpose: the future of musical interpretation in Romania”says the manager of the Bucharest National Opera.
The number of posts will increase
According to Daniel Jinga, the new form of organization proposed by the draft Government decision will have positive effects for the institution’s employees, one of the reasons being the increase in the number of positions.
“Do you know how many stations the Bucharest Opera had in its glory years, the 50s and 60s? The era of Ludovic Spiess, Nicolae Herlea, David Ohanesian, the whole constellation of great voices, all the tradition that is now being appealed to? It had 1,000 posts. We can also look at the tradition and identity of the Opera, through numbers, not through metaphors.
Do you know how many positions ONB has now? It has 545. Do you think an 83 percent job increase is achievable? I ask you as realistically as possible: what chance would we have if we made a request to the government asking for an 83 percent increase in the number of posts? The answer is quite easy to guess: none, or, if you want a more optimistic expression: almost none”, stated the manager of the National Opera in Bucharest.
Some artists complained that the draft decision would have dire consequences for the Opera’s identity and stability, and others worried that the merger would bring about restructuring in the institution.
“The name of the future institution, Romanian National Opera Bucharest, combines tradition (the Romanian Opera, as it was called 70 years ago) and the emblem of an institution of national importance, financed and directly supported by the Ministry of Culture. I don’t find any problem here”says the manager of the Bucharest National Opera.
Over time, other important cultural institutions have often changed their names, he adds.
“I give you the example of the Paris Opera, with a tradition of… 350 years. Do you know how many name changes it has had so far? 28, of which the last four were made in a span of 18 years. And the Opera National de Paris was merged at some point with the Opéra Comique and other ensembles, there is a dynamic all over the world from this point of view. This year, Covent Garden, as it is colloquially called, changed its name from The Royal Opera House to The Royal Ballet and Opera. So let’s not exaggerate,” says the manager of the Bucharest National Opera.
ONB Manager: Employees have nothing to worry about
Conductor Daniel Jinga states that the employees’ concern that they may lose their jobs with the merger of the two institutions is not justified.
“The last time I checked, the text of the Government Decision begins, as is normal, with Article 1, which in turn begins with these words: “The Romanian Opera, hereinafter referred to as the Opera, a public institution for performances and concerts, is established repertoire, of national importance, etc., etc. “Where did it go from “an institution is being established” to “the government wants to kick us all out”? If the government text specifies: “public institution of performances and concerts, of repertoire, of national importance” – what other emphasis would be necessary? This is exactly the mission of the Opera at the moment. It’s quite hard for me to understand where the fear of artists losing their jobs comes from. In all discussions with employees, we sent the same, unchanged message: We leave no one behindeh”, says Daniel Jinga.
The artistic staff will not be reduced, and this merger will create additional jobs, especially for young people, on the basis of projects for young musicians and lyrical artists, he adds.
“For example, today we cannot build a micro-stage for the young singers from the youth program because the Opera orchestra already has a busy schedule. But we could do that by having joint projects with the Romanian Youth Orchestra. Everyone benefits from this, especially the audience. Then the young musicians who will be better prepared: not only on the symphonic orchestra podium, but also in the opera pit, an experience that graduates of a conservatory do not have even in developed countries“, says the director of the Bucharest National Opera.
According to him, one third of the musicians in the Opera Orchestra come from the Romanian Youth Orchestra.
Conductor Daniel Jinga claims that people’s fears arose simply from the fundamental right of freedom of expression, and the dramatic messages about the “loss of the Opera’s identity” and its “abolition” were picked up by the media.
The manager of the Bucharest National Opera adds that he proposed to the Ministry of Culture the reduction of administrative and maintenance expenses and the allocation of more generous budgets to projects and artistic activity.
“At the present time, ONB’s budget seems very generous, but 95 percent of this amount is represented by the salary fund and current building maintenance expenses. Regarding the possibilities of mergers, we have shown from the beginning of the discussions regarding the reorganization our willingness to save institutions with a small number of employees, to the extent that merging with them would be possible from the point of view of a vision artistically coherent. There is a principle on which the progress of the world is based, from antiquity until now, and it will be the same in the future: to do more with less”he specified.
Daniel Jinga: The work will progress
The Government’s decision is important, adds Daniel Jinga, because it helps the Opera to progress.
“Opera will do more, not by doubling the number of positions, but by merging with Tinerimea Română, through which both organizations will have more resources at their disposal. Opera will have access to a greater number of positions. The youth will have access to the Opera’s material resources”claims Daniel Jinga.
The merger initiative will not change the Government’s understanding of the benefits of culture, adds the ONB manager.
“Try to imagine a world without performances, without a single performance art act taking place on a stage, not even broadcast on TV or online. I think this exercise of imagination can give you the clear picture of the benefits of culture. Without culture and without shows, civilization would become a dystopia like in the movie Mad Max. However, in the context of this GD, I think we can agree that the question of such a dystopia cannot be raised. I have no doubt that Romania, regardless of who is governed, will not give up culture. Romania has not given up on its artists under the conditions of the pandemic crisis. Why would he do it now?”stated the manager of the Opera House.
Currently, the project is in public debate, so it can generate better solutions, says Daniel Jinga.
“I am disappointed by the fake news, the biased statements, the tone-deaf communication, devoid of arguments. If this phase will be overcome, and as can be seen, the voice of the many and decent ones will be heard in the public space, then I think we will reach the point that needs to be treated with even greater attention – the implementation phase. Any good idea can be compromised by bias, fake news or poor implementation”says the director of the Bucharest National Opera.
