National Opera: Mikko Franck to be nominated for dual post of Artistic Director and General Music Director

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On Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the Finnish National Opera Foundation decided to propose Conductor Mikko Franck for the dual post of Artistic Director and General Music Director of the Finnish National Opera.
      A final decision on the appointment will be made on December 18th, after the personnel has been heard in the matter. According to the collective agreement, the personnel groups of the National Opera will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed appointment. However, even if the staff has something against the nomination, the Board could nevertheless go ahead and appoint Mikko Franck.
     
The Board notes that the 28-year-old conductor was nominated on the strength of his knowledge of the art and music of opera, his international reputation, and his international contacts.
      Apart from a press release, Mikko Franck, the Board of Directors of the Finnish National Opera Foundation, and the management and personnel of the Finnish National Opera will not comment on the proposed appointment until December 18th.
      At present, Mikko Franck is in London, conducting performances of L’elisir d’amore at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
      In August 2006 Franck took up the post of General Music Director at the Finnish National Opera, and his term was to have continued until 2011.
     
However, in February 2007 he suddenly announced his resignation from this position, saying that he had lost confidence in both the Opera's then General Director Erkki Korhonen and Administrative Director Pekka Kauranen. He thought that the decisions of the two directors were disastrous to the artistic future of the National Opera.
      Having given 12 months’ notice, Franck was to leave his post on February 14th 2008.
      "The administrative director has assumed authority over issues that are not within his competence and which actually belong to the general director. The situation is chaotic, as the general director is just standing by and is not managing the establishment", Franck reported in February.
     
Franck particularly opposed Kauranen's idea of a five-day week to be implemented in the Opera's production from 2008 onwards. This would cut down the number of performances on the Opera's main stage by as much as a fifth.
      Since then the cost-cutting plan of the National Opera has been tightened further, and a week ago the Opera announced that it will reduce its staff by a total of 54 employees.
     
After Franck’s notice of resignation, the Administrative Board, the Board of Directors, and the General Director of the National Opera as well as the rules have all changed, while Franck’s position has strengthened rather than weakened.
      The Finnish National Opera General Director Erkki Korhonen resigned in June, leaving his post with immediate effect. After Korhonen resigned, Franck was appointed the Chairman of the Opera’s new Art Committee.
      The National Opera has also reached a decision on a new administrative organization. When the new General Director of the establishment Päivi Kärkkäinen takes up her post on December 1st, Administrative Director Pekka Kauranen will take the role of an expert reporting to the new General Director. Kauranen will keep his title, while more or less all his current duties will be transferred to General Director Kärkkäinen and other directors.
     
Franck’s position at the Opera will strengthen further, as according to the new rules, the General Director of the National Opera will be responsible for the general administration and financial and resource management of the establishment - not for the artistic content of its productions.
      Previously the General Director was also the Artistic Director, but now the duties of the Artistic Director and General Music Director have been combined.
      "The Artistic Director and General Music Director will be in charge of the artistic planning of the opera repertoire and the concert programmes of the Finnish National Opera, managing and developing its artistic operations and maintaining and enhancing its artistic quality. He will be responsible for the content and artistic policy of opera productions", the Board announced in its statement on Wednesday.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish National Opera to reduce staff by more than 50 (16.11.2007)
  National Opera appoints a GD with a sharp eye for money matters (28.9.2007)
  General Director Erkki Korhonen resigns from Finnish National Opera (15.6.2007)
  General Music Director resigns from Finnish National Opera (15.2.2007)

Links:
  Mikko Franck (Wikipedia)
  Finnish National Opera press release 21.11.2007: Mikko Franck nominated for post of Artistic Director and General Music Director

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