Sir John Tooley (1 June 1924 – 18 March 2020)[1] was an English musical administrator who served as the general director of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. He 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.
Tooley was born in Rochester and educated at Repton School and Magdalene College, Cambridge.[2][3] He had ambitions to become a professional singer, but later decided on a career as a musical administrator.[4] As an assistant adjutant in the Rifle Brigade during the World War II, he learned much about administration.[4] 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.[4] 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.[5]
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.[6] 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.[2]
The opera commentator Harold Rosenthal wrote of Tooley's important role in coordinating 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.[5] 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.[5]
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).[2] He published his memoirs, In House (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."[7]
Tooley died on 18 March 2020, aged 95.[8] His family indicated the funeral would be private.[1]
Notes
^ abTooley profile, announcements.telegraph.co.uk; accessed 20 March 2020.
^ abcde"Tooley, Sir John", Who's Who 2011, A & C Black, 2011; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2010, accessed 27 August 2011 (subscription required)
^Twisk, Russell. "Birthdays – The Register", The Times, 1 June 2004
^"Sir John Tooley, general director of the Royal Opera House during the turbulent 1980s – obituary". The Telegraph. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
References
Allison, John, "Ninety Not Out", Opera (London), June 2014, Vol. 65, No. 6, pp. 693–698
Haltrecht, Montague. The Quiet Showman: Sir David Webster and the Royal Opera House. London: Collins, 1975. ISBN0-00-211163-2
Tooley, John, In House: Covent Garden, 50 Years of Opera and Ballet, London: Faber and Faber, 1999. ISBN0-571-19415-X
Zeffirelli, Franco; John Tooley (Interviews by Anna Tims), "How we made: Franco Zeffirelli and John Tooley on Tosca (1964)",. The Guardian (London), 23 July 2012 on theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 August 2014
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john, tooley, british, weightlifter, weightlifter, june, 1924, march, 2020, english, musical, administrator, served, general, director, royal, opera, house, covent, garden, london, held, range, appointments, musical, world, serving, trustee, board, member, man. For the British weightlifter see John Tooley weightlifter Sir John Tooley 1 June 1924 18 March 2020 1 was an English musical administrator who served as the general director of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden London He held a range of appointments in the musical world serving as a trustee or board member for many organisations SirJohn TooleyBorn1 June 1924Rochester Kent EnglandDied18 March 2020 aged 95 Alma materMagdalene College CambridgeOccupationMusical administratorAfter 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 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Notes 3 References 4 Further readingLife and career EditTooley was born in Rochester and educated at Repton School and Magdalene College Cambridge 2 3 He had ambitions to become a professional singer but later decided on a career as a musical administrator 4 As an assistant adjutant in the Rifle Brigade during the World War II he learned much about administration 4 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 4 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 5 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 6 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 2 The opera commentator Harold Rosenthal wrote of Tooley s important role in coordinating 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 5 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 5 Tooley 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 2 He was knighted in the 1979 Birthday Honours 2 He married and divorced three times from 1951 to 1965 he was married to Judith Craig nee Morris from 1968 to 1990 to Patricia Janet Norah nee Bagshawe and from 1995 to 2003 to Jennifer Anne nee Shannon 2 He published his memoirs In House 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 7 Tooley died on 18 March 2020 aged 95 8 His family indicated the funeral would be private 1 Notes Edit a b Tooley profile announcements telegraph co uk accessed 20 March 2020 a b c d e Tooley Sir John Who s Who 2011 A amp C Black 2011 online edition Oxford University Press December 2010 accessed 27 August 2011 subscription required Rosenthal Vol 4 p 759 a b c The Knight at the Opera The Times London 24 November 1980 p 16 a b c Rosenthal Harold Tooley Sir John Grove Music Online Oxford Music Online accessed 27 August 2011 subscription required Haltrecht p 286 Twisk Russell Birthdays The Register The Times 1 June 2004 Sir John Tooley general director of the Royal Opera House during the turbulent 1980s obituary The Telegraph 19 March 2020 Retrieved 21 March 2020 References EditAllison John Ninety Not Out Opera London June 2014 Vol 65 No 6 pp 693 698 Haltrecht Montague The Quiet Showman Sir David Webster and the Royal Opera House London Collins 1975 ISBN 0 00 211163 2 Rosenthal Harold Tooley Sir John The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Ed Stanley Sadie Vol 4 Oxford Oxford University Press 1992 ISBN 978 0 19 522186 2Further reading EditTooley John In House Covent Garden 50 Years of Opera and Ballet London Faber and Faber 1999 ISBN 0 571 19415 X Zeffirelli Franco John Tooley Interviews by Anna Tims How we made Franco Zeffirelli and John Tooley on Tosca 1964 The Guardian London 23 July 2012 on theguardian com Retrieved 11 August 2014 This article about an English musician is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Tooley amp oldid 1104101558, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
