Scottish Ballet: the saga continues

All is not well among some of the top Scottish arts companies. In the same week the Herald newspaper revealed that players from Scottish Opera's orchestra, who are being forced to go part-time, are looking for jobs in supermarkets and as cleaners , we reported that Ashley Page was to leave Scottish Ballet , the company he has turned around as its artistic director. An official, mealy mouthed press release implied it was a voluntary move by Page; however, we had been told differently, and this week an email from his agent confirmed what we already knew from our sources: that Page was, in effect, pushed out. "He will leave with great sadness and regret, and had hoped that the board would have wished to offer him a further five-year period . . . given the undoubted successes and acclaim the company has enjoyed during his period as artistic director," wrote his agent. "However, the board decided to offer him a single-year extension only to his current contract. Under the circumstances, and on hearing of the wish of the board to seek alternative creative approaches and influences for the company from his own, he decided it would serve no good purpose to accept this short-term offer."