Welsh National Opera Limited

The company engages in all aspects of staging opera and educational activity together with a wide range of related activities including concerts, broadcasts, recordings and publications.

In the charity's own words, from the register.

Elsewhere

• Throughout England and Wales

Area of benefit in its governing document: Not Defined

The places the charity told the Commission it works in.

In the year ending 31 August 2025, it had income of £18,006,000 and spent £18,310,000.

Figures as the charity reported them to the Charity Commission. Staff and volunteer numbers are only asked of charities with income over £10,000. A year with no row was not reported.

Separate measures from the charity's own returns and accounts, each with its year. Read them together: no single measure says how well a charity is run.

Income over time

Up 31%, from £13,731,000 in the year to 31 August 2021 to £18,006,000 in the year to 31 August 2025.

Spending against income

It spent 102% of its income in the year to 31 August 2025. It spent more than its income in 4 of the 5 years shown.

Largest funder

Arts Council England gave £5,304,000 in the year to 31 August 2023, 29% of that year's income.Read by AI from the charity's accounts.

From the annual returns the charity filed with the Charity Commission. The largest funder comes from its accounts, read by AI.

Government grants in the year ending 31 August 2025: £9,967,000 from 3 grants. Government contracts: Not reported.

From the charity's annual return to the Charity Commission, which asks every charity with income over £10,000 how much came from government grants and contracts. It does not say which part of government. These totals are separate from the named funders read from its accounts and the grants published on 360Giving, and are not added to them.

In its accounts for the year ending 31 August 2023, the charity named 2 funders who gave £10,033,000 between them. £4,729,000 of that came from public bodies.

These figures were read from the accounts the charity filed with the Charity Commission by Claude, an AI model, in OpenEconomy's accounts reader. AI can misread a table, so check the accounts on the register before relying on a figure.

Only funding the accounts name with an amount is included. Most charities also have income from donations, fees and trading that is not listed by funder, so this is part of its income.

Funders that publish to 360Giving list 17 grants to this charity since 2007, worth at least £987,903.

Only funders that publish their grants to 360Giving are included, and many do not. These are amounts funders awarded, which can differ from what the charity received in a given year, so they are shown apart from the accounts figures above.

Council business that names this charity, from the records councils publish, gathered by OpenCouncil. Newest first.

• 27 March 2025, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Council

  Cabinet Statements

  Read the meeting record

• 6 October 2022, Conwy

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Theatr Colwyn Joint Management Committee

  Films and shows Theatr Colwyn 2022

  Read the meeting record

We count a mention only when the record gives the charity's full registered name or its charity number. A mention shows the charity was named in that record. Follow the link to read what the record says.

Senedd and Welsh Government records that name this charity, gathered by OpenSenedd. Newest first.

• 24 September 2026

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: CMHC

  Purpose: Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru / Welsh National Opera.

  Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru / Welsh National Opera

  Read the record

• 24 September 2026

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: TCWCMCS

  Purpose: Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru / Welsh National Opera.

  Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru / Welsh National Opera

  Read the record

• 4 March 2026

  Named by Jack Sargeant in the Senedd

  …They tell Wales's story internationally through touring, through collaboration and through co-production. Our investment of £767,000 in the Welsh National Opera demonstrates our commitment to protecting our nationally significant and internationally recognised organisations. And our cultural organis…

  Read the record

• 4 March 2026

  Named by Julie Morgan in the Senedd

  …nity to do something there, and I urge the Welsh Government to do all it can to support that development. And, again, Rhianon mentioned the Welsh National Opera. It is an absolute tragedy that that has been under threat. So, I think we have to make certain that the Welsh National Opera survives and…

  Read the record

• 4 March 2026

  Named by Rhianon Passmore in the Senedd

  …the national music service's innovative leadership and collaborative approach with National Youth Arts Wales, and alongside providers like Welsh National Opera, has marched through the schools of Wales, establishing first-experience programmes, whole-class initiatives, the roll-out of tiered orches…

  Read the record

• 4 March 2026

  Named by Rhianon Passmore in the Senedd

  …ce those considerable challenges ahead. Not only did Wales create the national health service and the people's opera—and many know that the Welsh National Opera was devised by doctors, amateurs and miners—but we were also the very first nation in the world to create a national youth orchestra. This…

  Read the record

• 9 July 2025

  Named by Heledd Fychan in the Senedd

  …ing an offer from Leeds Rugby League Club, he went on to study at Trinity College Carmarthen, pursuing a career as a teacher before joining Welsh National Opera in 1963. In 1965, his big break came, when he was chosen by Stravinsky himself to perform the main role in Oedipus Rex in Athens. He then w…

  Read the record

• 18 June 2025

  Named by Gareth Davies in the Senedd

  …as elite or out of step with the younger generation. They have to be given the funding and freedom to evolve to ensure their survival. The Welsh National Opera are doing fantastic work to ensure their productions appeal and reflect to younger people, but as I've stated already, they are having to m…

  Read the record

• 18 June 2025

  Named by Gareth Davies in the Senedd

  …ation is paramount. The Minister for culture may continue to deny there is a funding crisis, but this denial doesn't bring solutions to the Welsh National Opera, who are struggling to pay the bills. It doesn't preserve the collections in our museums. The Arts Council of Wales have made it clear that…

  Read the record

• 18 June 2025

  Named by Julie Morgan in the Senedd

  …rogramme from March 2024-25. Music was provided by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Live Music Now, Music in Hospitals and Care and the Welsh National Opera. And the independent evaluation showed that it improved recovery, reduced medication use, eased staff stress, and in the neuro rehabilitati…

  Read the record

• 18 June 2025

  Named by Gareth Davies in the Senedd

  …s, our orchestras, our language, and redirected towards radical initiatives that score political points but do little to enrich the nation. Welsh National Opera, once the pride of our creative exports, now faces existential threats. Our museums are quite literally falling apart, whilst they also plo…

  Read the record

• 11 June 2025

  Named by Jenny Rathbone in the Senedd

  …revealed less than two weeks after our report was published. The live letter to Lisa Nandy and Liz Kendall, signed by bodies including the Welsh National Opera, Theatr Clwyd and the Sherman, and many other cultural bodies cross the UK, warned that removing the support that disabled people can get a…

  Read the record

• 21 May 2025

  Named by Rhianon Passmore in the Senedd

  …individual separate permits are needed, as has been stated, to transport instruments and equipment. Just think what that means for our own Welsh National Opera or a BBC Wales symphony orchestra production if we do the maths. Furthermore, the rules are different in each country, making European tour…

  Read the record

• 26 March 2025

  Named by Heledd Fychan in the Senedd

  …National Theatre Wales having been closed, and an individual—Michael Sheen—funding our national theatre through the medium of English; the Welsh National Opera in crisis; the junior department of the Welsh college of music and drama having disappeared; the publishing sector shrinking and publishers…

  Read the record

• 13 February 2025

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: CabsecEEP

  Purpose: Welsh National Opera Recital.

  Welsh National Opera Recital

  Read the record

• 12 February 2025

  Named by Delyth Jewell in the Senedd

  …ome frayed, without question, and our report, 'Culture shock', provides a sobering account of how this has been made manifest. For example, Welsh National Opera told us that their carnet—a type of passport for goods, that is—cost £5,000 plus the cost of two days of administration. They face an addit…

  Read the record

• 20 December 2024

  Named in a written question from Delyth Jewell

  Addressed to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip.

  What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had within cabinet colleagues and funding bodies about Welsh Government support for the Welsh National Opera with their direct overhead costs of being a national company based in Cardiff whilst going through severe financial difficulties? Welsh Government f…

  Read the record

• 13 November 2024

  Named by Jack Sargeant in the Senedd

  …y, I don’t know if the WNO will be included, but where I stand on the WNO is that it’s of national significance, it’s important to have the Welsh National Opera. I want to see opera thriving here. There is that process where they can apply. I encouraged them to do so. They have done, and we need to…

  Read the record

• 13 November 2024

  Named by Heledd Fychan in the Senedd

  …wider point to any information. If I may just ask one question around some of our larger cultural and arts organisations, specifically the Welsh National Opera. I have been tagged on a number of social media posts by someone who’s campaigning on this—Elizabeth Atherton—saying that she’s e-mailed yo…

  Read the record

• 8 October 2024

  Named by Rhianon Passmore in the Senedd

  …edd last week demonstrated fully the sparkling quality and excellence of our publicly funded organisations—BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, National Music Service for Wales, Creative Wales, Anthem—and it also recognised the amazing econom…

  Read the record

• 26 September 2024

  Named by Heledd Fychan in the Senedd

  …, is that something that you have been discussing with Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Government in terms of—? You are, after all, the Welsh National Opera. We do have devolution here in Wales. We have a cultural strategy being developed. Are you looking to the Welsh Government to provide, perh…

  Read the record

• 26 September 2024

  Named by Delyth Jewell in the Senedd

  …sessment you would make of the health of classical music and opera specifically in Wales, given the cuts that, obviously, have been seen to Welsh National Opera and Mid Wales Opera, the ongoing pressures in St David's Hall, and what's happened with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and thei…

  Read the record

• 26 September 2024

  Named by Delyth Jewell in the Senedd

  Welcome back. I'm sorry about the delay there, but we're back now with our session with Welsh National Opera. If it's okay with both of you, we'll move straight into questions. Croeso nôl. Mae'n flin gen i am yr oedi yna, ond dŷn ni nôl nawr gyda'n sesiwn ni gydag Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru. Os mae e'…

  Read the record

• 26 September 2024

  Named by Delyth Jewell in the Senedd

  …ck to our session. We're once again looking at the impact of funding reductions on culture and sport, and this evidence session is with the Welsh National Opera. I will ask our witnesses to introduce themselves for the record, and I'll go first of all to Christopher Barron, who is here with us in th…

  Read the record

• 26 September 2024

  Named by Laura Anne Jones in the Senedd

  I’m just wondering what assessment you've made of the health of classical music and opera in Wales, given the cuts, of course, to the Welsh National Opera and Mid Wales Opera, the current closure of St David’s Hall in Cardiff, and the closure of the Young RWCMD programme. Thank you.

  Read the record

Showing the 25 most recent of 118 mentions.

We count a mention only when the record gives the charity's full registered name or its charity number. A mention shows the charity was named in that record. Follow the link to read it in full.

12 trustees run the charity.

• Annabel Clare PillmanAppointed 29 July 2022
• Donald MaxwellAppointed 18 December 2023
• Dr ARUN Daniel MIDHAAppointed 29 July 2022
• Gerallt Pritchard JonesAppointed 31 October 2023
• Harriet FeildingAppointed 31 October 2023
• Henry LittleAppointed 15 February 2019
• Kenon ManAppointed 31 October 2023
• Louise MitchellAppointed 20 September 2025
• Manon Edwards AhirAppointed 22 October 2019
• Paul Michael HughesAppointed 31 October 2023
• Professor Medwin HughesAppointed 29 July 2022
• Sarah Jane Hemsley-ColeAppointed 20 September 2025

Trustees are responsible in law for the charity. Names are as they appear on the public register.

Of the last 5 annual returns that were due, 5 arrived by the deadline.

Charities with income over £10,000 send an annual return within 10 months of their year end, and those over £25,000 also send their accounts. Smaller charities only update their income and spending on the register. The dates are when the Commission received each document.

Charity number

221538

Status

Registered

Registered with the Commission

6 August 1963

Governing document

TRUST DEED DATED 11 DECEMBER 1979.

Company number

00454297This company on OpenEconomyThis company on Companies House

Website

www.wno.org.ukAs the charity gave it on the register.

Council area of its contact address

Cardiff

• Register details, income, spending, trustees and filing dates: Charity Commission for England and Wales, register of charities. Loaded by OpenEconomy on 2 November 2026.
• Funding from accounts: the charity's filed accounts, read by OpenEconomy's AI accounts reader on 1 November 2026.
• Grants awarded: 360Giving open grants data, from funders that publish there. Loaded by OpenEconomy on 2 November 2026.
• In council meetings: councils' published meeting records, gathered by OpenCouncil and matched to the charity by OpenEconomy on 4 November 2026.
• In the Senedd and Welsh Government: records gathered by OpenSenedd and matched to the charity by OpenEconomy on 5 November 2026.

• This charity on the Charity Commission register
• Its accounts and annual returns on the register
• 360Giving open grants data
• This charity on OpenEconomy

• OpenCouncil: council records that name this charity
• OpenSenedd: Senedd records that name this charity
• OpenCouncil: Cardiff Council's meetings and decisions
• OpenEconomy: Cardiff's economy in figures
• OpenSenedd: the Members of the Senedd for Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf
• OpenSenedd: the Members of the Senedd for Caerdydd Penarth