Cut ties with BP, composers and music researchers tell Royal Opera House
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Version 0 of 1. On Friday night, the Royal Opera House will stage a BP-sponsored performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, transmitted across the UK on “big screens” emblazoned with the oil company’s logo. By associating itself with high-profile cultural events such as these, BP buys a social legitimacy that it does not deserve, and attempts to draw a veil over its environmentally destructive projects and corporate crimes around the world. We are composers, musicians and music researchers who care passionately about classical music, the performing arts and the environment, and believe that the BP logo represents a stain on the Royal Opera House’s international reputation. BP was forced to pay the largest criminal fine in history of $4.5bn for its role in causing the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, despite the warnings of climate scientists, BP pursues new sources of oil in the fragile Arctic, and in the Canadian tar sands, where it tramples the rights of indigenous peoples. Its core business activities and political lobbying are actively pushing us towards a future with a global temperature increase well in excess of 2C. Related: BP set to pay largest environmental fine in US history for Gulf oil spill We believe that the Royal Opera House should join the growing wave of universities, foundations and faith organisations cutting their ties with the fossil fuel industry. Little more than a decade ago, tobacco companies were seen as respectable partners for public institutions to gain support from – that is no longer the case. Now is the time to also draw a red line on funding from the fossil fuel industry.John Luther Adams ComposerPaul Griffiths Opera librettist and writerSimon Holt Composer and professor of composition, Royal College of MusicTrevor Wishart ComposerMaja Ratkje ComposerJem Finer ComposerBoff Whalley Composer Georgina Born Professor of music and anthropology, University of OxfordMax Paddison Professor of music aesthetics, Durham UniversityJohn Pickard Professor of composition & applied musicology, University of Bristol Paul Whitty Composer and sonic arts researcher, Oxford Brookes UniversityJoe Duddell Composer and professor of composition, Bath Spa UniversityJPE Harper-Scott Professor of music history and theory, Royal Holloway, University of LondonNiels Rosing-Schow Composer and professor of composition, Royal Danish Academy of MusicDr Jonathan Hicks Musicologist and Research Fellow, King’s College LondonDr Anna Bull Sociologist and researcher in music, King’s College London Dr Eric Egan Lecturer in composition, Durham UniversityDr Geoff Baker Reader in musicology and ethnomusicology, Royal Holloway, University of LondonDr John Croft Composer and reader in music, Brunel UniversityDr Stephen Graham Lecturer in music, Goldsmiths, University of LondonDr Simon Mills Lecturer in Ethnomusicology, Durham UniversityDr Duncan Williams Research fellow in music and AI, University of PlymouthDr Sam Wilson Lecturer in music aesthetics, Guildhall School of Music and DramaDr Chris Garrard Composer and musicologistDr Graham Lack Composer Dr Richard Bullen ComposerDr Adam Harper Musicologist and music criticDr Jacob-Thompson Bell Composer and principal lecturer in postgraduate studies, Leeds College of MusicAnna Appleby ComposerEden Bailey MusicologistTim Bamber ComposerAlan Bowman ConductorEthan Braun ComposerLeah Broad Musicologist and DPhil student, University of OxfordChris Brody MusicianJames Bull Musician and sound recordistRob Burbea ComposerLucy Cadena Musician and composerManos Charalabopoulos Composer and pianistBen Comeau ComposerAthena Corcoran-Tadd Composer and musicianAlex Cowan Undergraduate music studentAndrew Crossley ComposerBecky Dawson General manager of music at OxfordGenevieve Dawson Musician and campaignerMudge FM Musician and songwriterRobin Grey MusicianMartin Hagfors MusicianKate Honey ComposerOwen Hubbard MusicologistMarie Incontrera Composer and bandleader of the Eco-Music Big BandDan Jeffries ComposerDarragh Kearns-Hayes ComposerAlice Kelly Undergraduate music studentLuke Lewis Composer and DPhil student, University of OxfordSarah Loader Theatre Producer and musicianBen Lunn ComposerDavid McFarlane ComposerDavid Mears MusicianSally Mears Conductor Aubrey Meyer Musician and climate campaignerMette Nielsen ComposerLola Perrin Composer and pianistBenjamin Picard ComposerOwen Roberts ComposerDavid Roche Composer and PhD student, University of CambridgeJohn Rodge Composer, musician and teacherKatie Rose Singer and musicianSusannah Self ComposerJulian Skar Composer and multimedia artistMartin Stauning ComposerIsa Suarez Composer and sound artistAnna Tam Composer and musicianElin Vister MusicianHeather Young Musician |