Mass Job Layoffs Announced at London's Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House in London has announced the job loss of all casual employees – due to the ongoing economic effects of the Coronavirus pandemic

The Royal Opera House, at Covent Garden in London, has this week announced the job loss of all casual employees – due to the ongoing economic effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

"It is with huge sadness that we have begun a restructure process ... the scale of financial pressure on ROH alongside continued restrictions on our ability to perform to live audiences, has resulted in this very difficult decision," a spokesperson for the Royal Opera House has this week said.

The ROH has not yet confirmed the total number of jobs to be lost, but did indicate, to the British Guardian, that a voluntary redundancy process has commenced and that all casual contracts have now been terminated.

"ROH Director of Music, Antonio Pappano, has waived his salary since the beginning of the crisis and ROH Chief Executive, Alex Beard, has taken a significant reduction in salary," the opera house as indicated.