Tony Hall (arts manager)
Encyclopedia
Anthony William Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead, CBE
(born 3 March 1951 in Birkenhead
, Wirral
), usually known as Tony Hall, has been chief executive of the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
since 2001. He became a crossbench member of the House of Lords
on 22 March 2010.
and Keble College, Oxford
, where he studied PPE.
, Radio 5 Live and the editing of the 9 O'Clock News
at the early age of 34. He was previously director of News and Current Affairs Television at the BBC
(1990-1993) and, combining TV and radio, became director of News for the BBC in 1993. In 1999 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the position of Director General of the BBC.
in April 2001. He set up ROH2, a department devoted to supporting new artists and developing new audiences. Since then, he set up new initiatives to widen access to the Opera House - including big screen relays to locations across the UK, Paul Hamlyn matinees, and other low-price ticket schemes.
In 2007, he oversaw the ROH's purchase of Opus Arte, a ballet and opera DVD/Blu-ray production and distribution company. As a Royal Opera House subsidiary, Opus Arte has relaunched its website as an online classical music retailer, selling both digital and physical products from across all the major record labels.
His salary increased from £165,000 to £205,000 between 2010 and 2011, making him the highest paid Chief Executive of any charity in the UK.
. The sector skills council has introduced the first formal creative apprenticeships; has won government approval to build a state-of-the-art National Skills Academy for backstage skills located with the Royal Opera House production park in High House Purfleet
in Thurrock
, Thames Gateway
; and recently launched a web 2.0 careers portal called Creative Choices.
He also chairs the Music and Dance Scheme Advisory Board, and led a Dance Review for the DFES resulting in an additional £5 million awarded for dance education. He is a member of the Management Committee of the Clore Leadership Programme, and a non-executive Director of Channel 4
Television. He is also on the Culture and Creative Advisory Forum panel for the DCMS
and at present he is Chair of the Theatre Royal, Stratford East.
He has been an Honorary Visiting Fellow of Journalism at City University, a member of the Regeneration Through Heritage Steering Group, a board member for Race for Opportunity, a board member for Learndirect, and was a member of the Council for Brunel University
. Until May 2000 he was Chair of the Royal Television Society
. In April 2007, in the wake of the 2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
, he was asked to inquire into the MOD's
media strategy.
In July 2009, he was asked by the Government and Mayor of London
to set up and chair a board to direct the Cultural Olympiad and also joined the Board of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
.
in 2005.
On 19 March 2010, Hall was created a life peer
with the title Baron Hall of Birkenhead, of Birkenhead in the County of Cheshire, and on 22 March 2010, he was introduced in the House of Lords, where he sits on the Crossbenches.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 3 March 1951 in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
), usually known as Tony Hall, has been chief executive of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
, Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
since 2001. He became a crossbench member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
on 22 March 2010.
Early life
He was educated at Birkenhead SchoolBirkenhead School
Birkenhead School is an independent, selective, co-educational school located on the Wirral Peninsula in the northwest of England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.-Overview:The school is subdivided into...
and Keble College, Oxford
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
, where he studied PPE.
BBC career
Hall joined the BBC as a trainee after graduating. Among his career achievements are the launch of BBC ParliamentBBC Parliament
BBC Parliament is a British television channel from the BBC. Its remit is to make accessible to all the work of the parliamentary and legislative bodies of the United Kingdom and the European Parliament...
, Radio 5 Live and the editing of the 9 O'Clock News
BBC Nine O'Clock News
The BBC Nine O'Clock News was the flagship BBC News programme launched on 14 September 1970, which ran until 15 October 2000, when it was controversially moved to BBC News at Ten....
at the early age of 34. He was previously director of News and Current Affairs Television at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
(1990-1993) and, combining TV and radio, became director of News for the BBC in 1993. In 1999 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the position of Director General of the BBC.
Royal Opera House career
Tony Hall became Chief Executive of the Royal Opera HouseRoyal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in April 2001. He set up ROH2, a department devoted to supporting new artists and developing new audiences. Since then, he set up new initiatives to widen access to the Opera House - including big screen relays to locations across the UK, Paul Hamlyn matinees, and other low-price ticket schemes.
In 2007, he oversaw the ROH's purchase of Opus Arte, a ballet and opera DVD/Blu-ray production and distribution company. As a Royal Opera House subsidiary, Opus Arte has relaunched its website as an online classical music retailer, selling both digital and physical products from across all the major record labels.
His salary increased from £165,000 to £205,000 between 2010 and 2011, making him the highest paid Chief Executive of any charity in the UK.
External posts
In April 2004 Hall was appointed the inaugural Chair of the industry-led sector skills council, Creative & Cultural SkillsCreative & Cultural Skills
Creative & Cultural Skills Creative & Cultural Skills is one of several Sector Skills Councils established by the UK Government to foster the development of a skilled workforce. It covers crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, performing, literary and visual arts...
. The sector skills council has introduced the first formal creative apprenticeships; has won government approval to build a state-of-the-art National Skills Academy for backstage skills located with the Royal Opera House production park in High House Purfleet
High House Purfleet
High House is the collective name for a group of historic buildings in Purfleet, Thurrock, Essex , which was used as a farm for hundreds of years, with a Grade II listed house and barn, but with the addition of one of the best dovecotes in Southern England, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument...
in Thurrock
Thurrock
Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council....
, Thames Gateway
Thames Gateway
The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
; and recently launched a web 2.0 careers portal called Creative Choices.
He also chairs the Music and Dance Scheme Advisory Board, and led a Dance Review for the DFES resulting in an additional £5 million awarded for dance education. He is a member of the Management Committee of the Clore Leadership Programme, and a non-executive Director of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
Television. He is also on the Culture and Creative Advisory Forum panel for the DCMS
DCMS
DCMS as an acronym may refer to:*Department for Culture, Media and Sport, a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England*Deccan College of Medical Sciences, a medical college in Hyderabad, India...
and at present he is Chair of the Theatre Royal, Stratford East.
He has been an Honorary Visiting Fellow of Journalism at City University, a member of the Regeneration Through Heritage Steering Group, a board member for Race for Opportunity, a board member for Learndirect, and was a member of the Council for Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
. Until May 2000 he was Chair of the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
. In April 2007, in the wake of the 2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
Iranian military personnel seized 15 Royal Navy personnel during 2007 and held them for 13 days. On 23 March 2007, 15 British Royal Navy personnel, from HMS Cornwall, searching a merchant vessel were surrounded by the Navy of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and subsequently detained off the...
, he was asked to inquire into the MOD's
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
media strategy.
In July 2009, he was asked by the Government and Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
to set up and chair a board to direct the Cultural Olympiad and also joined the Board of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is a limited company, owned by the Government of the United Kingdom, that will oversee the planning and development of the 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. After the successful London 2012 Olympic bid, LOCOG was...
.
Honours and peerage
He was appointed a CBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 2005.
On 19 March 2010, Hall was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
with the title Baron Hall of Birkenhead, of Birkenhead in the County of Cheshire, and on 22 March 2010, he was introduced in the House of Lords, where he sits on the Crossbenches.