These are files of minutes and associated papers of meetings of the Board of Directors of the English Opera Group, and from June 1975 The English Music Theatre Company.
The files comprise minutes and papers of the Board of Directors, as well as Annual General Meeting and Committee minutes.
The Board met regularly to discuss matters such as budgets, finances, sponsorship and fund raising, repertory, plans for programme, performances and productions, new operas and commissions, tours in the UK and abroad, broadcasts, copyright, promotion and publicity, and membership.
The files from 1947 to 1957 are the papers of James Lawrie, a director of the Group and chairman of the Board of Directors from Mar 1950. These files contain minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors and associated papers, such as financial papers, directors' and general manager's reports, schedules and memos. These files also contain a large amount of correspondence between Lawrie and the General Manager, other Directors, The Arts Council of Great Britain and other persons discussing financial matters and other issues concerning the Board. Some items of correspondence with Benjamin Britten, an artistic director of the Group are included. The files contain many additional items concerning the Group; some of these together with individual letters and Board papers are highlighted in the description of each file.
The minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors from 1947 to 1957, as well as other meetings described below, have been digitised and are available to views as pdfs by following the links in the archive catalogue. Some of the other items in the files, such as letters, reports, memos and financial papers, can also be viewed as pdfs by following the links indicated in the file descriptions.
The files from 1960 to 1980 contain minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors with associated papers such as financial papers, directors' reports and performance schedules, but very few letters or additional papers until 1975 onwards. The financial papers, memos, reports, letters and other individual items are highlighted in the file description.
In addition to minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, the files also contain minutes of meetings of other bodies as follows;
1. Annual general meetings, 1948-1978.
2. Executive Committee meetings, 1950-1952.
This Committee was set up in 1950 to deal with details of management issues, with the recommendations of the Committe taken to the Board of Directors. The members, under the charimanship of the Earl of Harewood, were the artistic directors (Benjamin Britten, John Piper, Basil Coleman and Anne Wood) assisted by other persons as follows, James Lawrie, Joan Cross, Peter Pears, H F Wallis (accountant and auditor), Erwin Stein, Basil Douglas and Norman del Mar. The Committe discussed financial matters, concerts, productions, tours, future plans, singers and other personnel, auditions etc.
3. Meetings of artistic directors 1950-1955.
The aritistc directors meet on a number of occasions sometimes with other persons such as James Lawrie, Erwin Stein, Myfanwy Piper or Peter Pears.
4. Management Sub-committee meetings, 1976-1979.
This Committee was formed in Jan 1976 to act in a counselling and advisory capacity towards the general managment of the Company. It was planned that the committee would meet regularly, thus reducing the need for frequent Board meetings. The Sub-committee discussed matters such as fund raising and financial matters, repertory and productions, commissions, and tours.
Minutes for Jul-Dec 1952, Apr-Dec 1957, and 1958-1959 are missing and there are also some missing minutes from other years.
Other sources found in the Britten Pears Arts Archive, include;
Minutes, financial and other papers as well as extensive correspondence may be found in the files of correspondence between Benjamin Britten and the English Opera Group.
Papers of meetings of the Board of Directors from 1964 to 1975, including minutes, associated papers and correspondence, can also be found amongst the papers of Anthony Gishford (ref no. GSF/2). Theses are papers accumulated by Gishford in his role as chairman of the Board of Directors.
32 files
Papers of Anthony Gishford (collection ref. GSF/2)
Correspondence between Benjamin Britten and the English Opera Group/English Music Theatre Company.
The following 1952 papers missing from the EOG collection, as well as correspondence, can be found in the file of correspondence from the English Opera Group to Benjamin Britten;
Memorandum by the general manager of a meeting between Britten, Basil Coleman, Erwin Stein, Anne Wood, John Piper and Basil Douglas on 15 Jul
Memorandum by the general manager of a meeting of the artisitc directors on 3 Sep
Memorandum by the general manager re arts council, Christopher Sly, auditions and concerts, 18 Aug 1952
Report on the Taw-Torridge Festival, 18 Aug 1952
The following 1958 papers, as well as correspondence, can be found in the file of correspondence from the English Opera Group to Benjamin Britten;
Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, 7 Aug and 16 Dec 1958.
Minutes of meeting of the Executive Committee, 20 Oct and 27 Dec 1958.
Schedules of rehearsals and performances for productions in Aldeburgh, no date
Notes by the general manager for the Executive Committee re finance and future plans, no date
Report by the general manager for the Executive Committee, 30 Apr 1958
Statement by the general manager re the future of the group, 19 Dec 1958.
Memo on the financial demarkation between Festival and Group, no date.
Various financial papers including income and expenditure accounts and balance sheets as at 31 Dec 1957 and 31 Dec 1958.
Directors report for the year ended 31 Dec 1957, Oct 1958.
The following 1959 papers, as well as correspondence, can be found in the file of correspondence from the English Opera Group to Benjamin Britten;
Minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, 4 Mar, 17 Jul and 19 Nov 1959
Minutes of meetings between Britten, Pears, Gishford, Caplan, Periton and Reiss, 14 and 15 Mar 1959
1959 programme
Director's report for the year ended 31 Dec 1959
Provisional figures for 1959
Minutes of meeting of the Board of Directors 17 Dec 1959 can be found in the file of correspondence from the English Opera Group to Benjamin Britten for 1960.
Archive
https://www.bpacatalogue.org/archive/EOG-1-1
