There is relatively good news for the orchestras of England today,
espcially welcomed by the provincial ones (Halle, Royal Liverpool, CBSO
and Bournemouth) who are virtually insolvent.  The Arts Council of England
have announced a new financial package for all the nine English symphony
orchestras (provincial and London, not including the BBC SO) in which they
will pay off their debts (around 10 million pounds in total) out of public
funds and establish a new financial footing for the future.  This does mean
that the orchestras are to benefit from more tax payers' money.
However.....

There's a catch.  The orchestras have to change programme policy AND
consider turning many of their players into freelancers.  It seems the Arts
Council believes the orchestras are playing too much "big 19th century
repertoire" with big name conductors and should be playing more 18th and
20th century music which, so the reasoning goes, ought to bring in new
audiences and also allow the orchestras to split up into smaller ensembles
and so cut costs that way.  The contrary argument to this is that it IS the
"big 19th century repertoire" under big name conductors that puts the
posteriors on the upholstery.

We shall see.

Tony Duggan,  England.
My (developing) Mahler recordings survey is at:
http://www.musicweb.force9.co.uk/music/Mahler/index.html