Company Rules & Constitution

Name
1. The Company shall be called the ‘DERBY OPERA COMPANY’

Objects
2. The Objects of the Company shall be the rehearsal and performance of Musicals and Concerts, and the raising of funds for charitable purposes.

Finance
3. The funds of the Company shall be applied solely to the stated objects of the Company.

4. No Member of the Company shall receive payment directly or indirectly for services to the Company or for other than legitimate expenses incurred in its work.

5. In the event of dissolution any balance of cash remaining in hand after the realisation of assets and payment of debts shall be handed to a charity or charities.

Honorary Officers
6. The Honorary Officers of the Company shall be the President, Vice-President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Business Manager.

Patrons
7. Patrons may be elected by the Committee upon receipt of nominations from Members of the Company together with nominations from any persons at the Annual General Meeting.

The Committee
8. The Committee shall consist of the Honorary Officers and three other Members of the Company.

9. The Chairman at any meeting in connection with the Company shall have a second or casting vote should there be equality in votes.

10. The Committee shall have power to elect a new Member on the Committee in the place of one who resigns or fails to attend three successive meetings without a satisfactory explanation.

11. The Committee shall have the power to appoint Sub-Committees to advise the Committee and to allocate special duties to Members of the Company.

12. The Committee shall manage the affairs of the Company.

13. A quorum shall consist of six members.

Application for Membership
14. Application for Membership shall be made to the Secretary in writing. Applicants will be required to pass a vocal test or any other tests as the Committee shall deem necessary. The Committee shall be empowered to request the presence of any member of the Production Team at any audition.

15. Acting Members shall be those who appear in the Company’s current production, having been selected after audition by the Committee.

16. Non-acting Members shall be those who, being already Members of the Company, are not appearing in the current production.

17. Honorary Members shall be those whose services are required for special purposes, who may be elected by the Committee annually.

18. Honorary Life Members may be elected by the Committee in recognition of long service, special services rendered to the Company or other reasons at the discretion of the Committee. Elections shall be reported at the following Annual General Meeting.

19. Should any Member withdraw their services without giving the Committee a satisfactory reason in writing, those Members will be deemed to have resigned and forfeited membership.

Annual Subscription
20. The Annual Subscription for Acting Members, Non-Acting Members and Patrons shall be decided by the Committee and agreed at each Annual General Meeting.

21. Members’ subscriptions shall be paid within four weeks of the first rehearsal in each season.

22. No person shall be considered a Member until the subscription is paid.

23. Members resigning before the end of the season shall forfeit their subscription.

Production
24. The Committee shall be empowered to select the work and enter into contracts with regard to any Production before the Annual General Meeting.

25. The Committee shall appoint a Production Team, responsible to them for the production, music and choreography.

26. The Committee and Production Team shall cast the parts of the Production.

Attendance at Rehearsals
27. Attendance at rehearsals shall be restricted to Members except by permission of the Officers of the Company who shall have power to ask anyone other than Members to withdraw.

General Meetings
28. The Annual General Meeting shall be held at the earliest possible date after the accounts have been duly audited.

29. Notice of the General Meeting shall be given by the Secretary at least 21 days before the meeting.

30. The Secretary must call a Special General Meeting within 28 days of receiving a requisition to do so duly signed by fifteen Members of the Company.

31. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee.

32. The Honorary Officers and Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

33. A Statement of Accounts and a Balance Sheet for the previous year ending 31st March which has been duly examined shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting.

34. At a General Meeting only the Members of the Company can vote.

35. With the exception of Election of Honorary Officers and Committee, voting at a General Meeting shall be by show of hands unless a ballot is demanded by twenty-five members.

36. A quorum at a General Meeting shall consist of at least 30 members.

37. Patrons shall be invited to the Annual General Meeting.

Alteration of the Rules
38. Alteration of Rules shall not be made except at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

39. Notice of any suggested alterations must be handed to the Secretary in writing within eight weeks of the last performance of the season.

40. Any proposals to alter the Rules shall be notified to the Members on the notice convening the meeting at which such proposals shall be considered.

Presentations over the Footlights
41. At the end of the Saturday evening performance presentations over the footlights to lady principals shall be restricted to one each.

Seasonal Renewal of the Company’s Activities
42. At the start of each season all existing Acting and Non-Acting Members shall be notified by the Secretary of the first rehearsal and shall be requested by him to state whether they wish to continue Acting or Non-Acting Membership for the ensuing season. The Committee may refuse membership to anyone who has not replied to this notice within fourteen days.

Social Committee
43. A Social Committee consisting of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Six Members or Patrons shall be elected in a separate session at the Annual General Meeting, and shall be responsible for the Social Activities of the Company. The Social Committee Accounts shall be submitted to the Company Treasurer for inclusion in the Derby Opera Company Accounts for annual audit. The Social Committee may fill any casual vacancy or co-opt other Members. A quorum at all meetings shall consist of four members.

Disputes
44. In the event of any dispute arising as to the meaning of the foregoing Rules, or providing they do not meet all the requirements of the Company, the dispute or matter in question shall be brought to the Committee and its decision shall be final and binding on all parties concerned.