Opera singer turns to care work as hundreds protest

An opera singer has said she was forced to quit professional singing and become a care worker. Mezzo soprano Leah Marian Jones spoke to BBC Radio Cymru as hundreds of people joined members of the Welsh National Opera (WNO) chorus and orchestra at the Senedd in protest over funding cuts. Arts Council England (ACE) has cut the WNO's funding by 35%, while Arts Council of Wales (ACW) reduced its funding by 11.8%. A WNO spokesperson said they "have had to make changes to ensure that Welsh National Opera remains financially sustainable in the future". Performances will be cut next year due to the funding cuts, it said. Minister for Culture and Social Justice Lesley Griffiths said she regretted every budget cut, but added: "We have a small amount of money that we have to make sure gets round to everybody."