John Tooley
Encyclopedia
Sir John Tooley is a former general director of the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
, London. He has also held a range of appointments in the musical world, serving as a trustee or board member for many organisations.
After serving for 15 years as assistant and later deputy to Sir David Webster
, the founder of the Royal Opera
, Tooley succeeded him as general administrator in 1970 and served in the post (later retitled general director) until retiring in 1988.
and Magdalene College, Cambridge
. He had ambitions to become a professional singer, but concluding that he was not good enough, he decided on a career as a musical administrator. As an assistant adjutant
in the Rifle Brigade during the Second World War, he learned much about administration. After that, his friends advised him to prepare himself for his planned career by working in industry for a few years to learn more about management. He joined the Ford Motor Company
, where he worked, he said, "with some enlightened people", gaining experience. In 1952 he was appointed secretary to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
, remaining in the post until 1955, when he began his career at the Royal Opera House
, Covent Garden
.
In 1955 the Royal Opera House underwent an internal reorganisation. The deputy general administrator, Sir Steuart Wilson
, left and Tooley was appointed assistant to the general administrator, David Webster
. He was promoted to assistant general administrator in 1960, and served in that post until Webster's retirement in 1970. In the late 1960s, Webster's health became uncertain, and much of the day-to-day business of running the opera house fell to Tooley. He was appointed to succeed Webster, and held the post of general administrator until 1980, when it was renamed general director. He retired from the post in 1988.
The opera commentator Harold Rosenthal
wrote of Tooley's important role in co-ordinating the workings of the major European and American opera houses. He promoted regular meetings of the heads of these houses, with the aim of resisting excessive fees for star singers and also of sharing costs by staging co-productions. To attract a new and younger audience to the Royal Opera House, Tooley set up a series of "promenade" performances of operas, with low-priced admission to the stalls area, from which the seats were temporarily removed.
Tooley has held a large number of other appointments in the musical world, serving as a trustee or board member of the Walton
Trust, the Britten
Estate, the Southbank Centre and the Welsh National Opera
among others. He was knighted in 1979. He married, and divorced, three times: from 1951 to 1965 he was married to Judith Craig née Morris; from 1968 to 1990 to Patricia Janet Norah née Bagshawe; and from 1995 to 2003 to Jennifer-Anne née Shannon. He published his memoirs, In House, in 1999; The Times
said of it, "His regime is now regarded as a golden era when the opera house could still attract stars such as Maria Callas
, Placido Domingo
and Rudolph Nureyev. His book … gives an insider's account of the sometimes tempestuous times at Covent Garden since the war."
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...
, London. He has also held a range of appointments in the musical world, serving as a trustee or board member for many organisations.
After serving for 15 years as assistant and later deputy to Sir David Webster
David Webster (opera manager)
Sir David Webster was the chief executive of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, from 1945 to 1970. He played a key part in the establishment of the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera companies....
, the founder of the Royal Opera
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
, Tooley succeeded him as general administrator in 1970 and served in the post (later retitled general director) until retiring in 1988.
Life and career
Tooley was born in Rochester and educated at Repton SchoolRepton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
and Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
. He had ambitions to become a professional singer, but concluding that he was not good enough, he decided on a career as a musical administrator. As an assistant adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
in the Rifle Brigade during the Second World War, he learned much about administration. After that, his friends advised him to prepare himself for his planned career by working in industry for a few years to learn more about management. He joined the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, where he worked, he said, "with some enlightened people", gaining experience. In 1952 he was appointed secretary to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
, remaining in the post until 1955, when he began his career at 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...
.
In 1955 the Royal Opera House underwent an internal reorganisation. The deputy general administrator, Sir Steuart Wilson
Steuart Wilson
Sir James Steuart Wilson was an English singer, known for tenor roles in oratorios and concerts in the first half of the 20th century....
, left and Tooley was appointed assistant to the general administrator, David Webster
David Webster (opera manager)
Sir David Webster was the chief executive of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, from 1945 to 1970. He played a key part in the establishment of the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera companies....
. He was promoted to assistant general administrator in 1960, and served in that post until Webster's retirement in 1970. In the late 1960s, Webster's health became uncertain, and much of the day-to-day business of running the opera house fell to Tooley. He was appointed to succeed Webster, and held the post of general administrator until 1980, when it was renamed general director. He retired from the post in 1988.
The opera commentator Harold Rosenthal
Harold Rosenthal
Harold David Rosenthal OBE was an English music critic, writer, lecturer, and broadcaster about opera. Originally a schoolmaster, he became drawn to music, particularly opera, and began working on musical publications...
wrote of Tooley's important role in co-ordinating the workings of the major European and American opera houses. He promoted regular meetings of the heads of these houses, with the aim of resisting excessive fees for star singers and also of sharing costs by staging co-productions. To attract a new and younger audience to the Royal Opera House, Tooley set up a series of "promenade" performances of operas, with low-priced admission to the stalls area, from which the seats were temporarily removed.
Tooley has held a large number of other appointments in the musical world, serving as a trustee or board member of the Walton
William Walton
Sir William Turner Walton OM was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera...
Trust, the Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
Estate, the Southbank Centre and the Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera
Welsh National Opera is an opera company founded in Cardiff, Wales in 1943. The WNO tours Wales, the United Kingdom and the rest of the world extensively. Annually, it gives more than 120 performances of eight main stage operas to a combined audience of around 150,000 people...
among others. He was knighted in 1979. He married, and divorced, three times: from 1951 to 1965 he was married to Judith Craig née Morris; from 1968 to 1990 to Patricia Janet Norah née Bagshawe; and from 1995 to 2003 to Jennifer-Anne née Shannon. He published his memoirs, In House, in 1999; The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said of it, "His regime is now regarded as a golden era when the opera house could still attract stars such as Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century. She combined an impressive bel canto technique, a wide-ranging voice and great dramatic gifts...
, Placido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
and Rudolph Nureyev. His book … gives an insider's account of the sometimes tempestuous times at Covent Garden since the war."