Artistes&#39 arias assured by Coutts&#39 sponsorship

The private banking group Coutts & Co, has signed a three-year sponsorship deal worth £163.330,000 with Welsh National Opera.

This is Coutts&#39 only arts sponsorship this year and the WNO says it is one of the most significant deals in its 55-year history.

Coutts is sponsoring a production each year as part of the package. The first is a revival of the WNO&#39s staging of Hector Berlioz&#39s Beatrice and Benedict.

The production opens in Cardiff this month and then moves on to Swansea, Oxford, Bristol and Birmingham.

The sponsorship backing will also provide two young artist bursaries for Natalie Christie and Timothy Murfin.

Singers associated with WNO, including Dennis O&#39Neil, Linda Ormiston and Donald Maxwell, are to give a series of recitals exclusively for Coutts&#39 clients in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Yorkshire and at venues in the South-east of England.

In September, Coutts will also be sponsoring WNO&#39s second golf day.

Coutts Group chief executive Andrew Fisher says: “We have been working with WNO for just over a year now and they have demonstrated real dedication, innovation and, above all, excellent performance.

“We are delighted to have signed this significant sponsorship deal with the WNO and are looking forward to what we are sure will be an excellent partnership over the coming three years.”