The English National Opera is a mess. Critics contend that plans to save the company will strip the company of its artistic integrity. “The word ‘ensemble’ is at the core of the debate about ENO’s future. What does it mean, and why does it provoke such intense emotions whenever it seems to be threatened? At one level, the answer is simple. An ensemble performs together. It can be half a dozen actors touring Strindberg in the provinces; or a band of period- instrument specialists bringing baroque concertos back to life; or a company of 500 in an Edwardian theatre in London’s West End. Size doesn’t matter, but shared values, collective experience, training, exploring and changing together – these are what count.”