‘They are in terrible difficulties’:

The Prince of Wales has spoken of his deep personal concern for the arts world as a result of coronavirus.

The heir to the throne movingly described a ‘desperate’ national silence as orchestras, conservatories and opera houses fall victim to lockdown.

And he voiced his fears that many, both large and small, will struggle to start playing again after the national health crisis is over.

Speaking in an interview with Alan Titchmarsh for Classic FM, Charles agreed that the situation facing the arts was ‘devastating’, saying: ‘Well yes, this is the desperate thing.

‘At the moment, of course, they are completely silent and unable to operate, unable to work, and I, you could imagine from the point of view of their livelihoods and their futures, what on earth are we going to do, let alone trying to find a way of keeping these orchestras and other organisations, arts bodies, going?

‘Only today, I was hearing that the Royal Opera House, which I’ve been Patron of the Chorus and Orchestra for 45 years and loved going there more than anything since I was seven years old, they’re in terrible difficulties of course, because how are they going to be able to restart?.’

‘It is a very expensive art form, but it’s crucial because it has such a worldwide impact and our reputation in this country with music and the quality of music and singing and everything else, is very high. 

‘So we have to find a way to make sure these marvellous people and organisations can survive through all this,’ he added.

The Prince recalled attending the Bolshoi’s performance of The Fountain of Bakhchisarai in 1956 and described it as an unforgettable experience.

He said: ‘It was all Tatar dancing and cracking of whips and leaping in the air and doing unbelievably energetic things, which only the Bolshoi can do.

‘I was completely inspired by it… which is why it’s so important, I think, for grandparents or other relations to take children, at about the age of seven, to experience some form of the arts in performance.

‘That’s what really inspires people, I think.’

Charles, who is President or patron of a large number of orchestras and conservatoires including the Royal Ballet, described their contribution to ‘culture and diplomacy’ as ‘utterly vital’.

He spoke as The National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House admitted they are facing financial collapse because of the pandemic and jointly called on the government to throw out a lifeline.

The three iconic venues say will not survive into 2021 without healthy box office takings and have drawn up an urgent appeal to the parliamentary committee on culture, asking calling for a series of measures including a major cash injection or loan to aid recovery.

Greg Doran, artistic director of the RSC, which has lost 95 per cent of its trading income, told The Observer newspaper, ‘It is really serious now. And if we lose our performance culture, we lose it for good.

‘We urgently need an immediate extension to the tax relief scheme and more guidance on the rules for mass gatherings.’

He and other industry leaders are calling for swift government support for the arts and warned that without it there will be little left for audiences to see across the country when restrictions are lifted.

Rufus Norris, the artistic director of the National Theatre -which is losing between £4m and £5m a month in lockdown – said the government should recognise that continued social distancing means most theatres are no longer viable businesses.

On Thursday he reluctantly told staff at the South Bank in London that ‘substantial’ job cuts are needed,

‘Without additional government support 70 per cent of theatres will be boarded up by Christmas,’ he said.

Alex Beard, chief executive of the Royal Opera House, said they have seen 60 per cent of house income fall away.

Culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, has said he is ‘clear-eyed’ about the ‘huge challenges’ faced by theatres.

The pandemic had dealt a ‘knockout blow’, he told The Observer.

Last week he created a cultural renewal taskforce to look at crisis measures for the sector.

But Prince Charles says he is concerned not just for the institutions themselves but the livelihoods of orchestral musicians, administrative staff, promoters, agents, music teachers and ancillary workers in the industry.

The sector played a huge role in ‘attracting’ people to Britain, he said.

‘So all these things mean that it’s absolutely crucial that they can come back twice as enthusiastic as before,’ he added.

Speaking about his love of classical music, Charles revealed he once converted a police officer assigned to protect him to the music of Richard Wagner.

‘I am accompanied by a kind policeman who looks after me all the time, wherever I go, and I used to play Wagner, some of the operas, on the CD thing in the car,’ he said.

‘And the person I had with me at the time long ago had never heard Wagner before in his life, but because I played it on various occasions in the car, he grew, can you believe it, to love it so much that he then became a Wagner fan, having never heard it before and presumably having also thought, ‘Well, it’s not for me.’.

‘So it is familiarity, I think, which in this case doesn’t breed contempt. It breeds real devotion, I’ve found.’

Titchmarsh said: ‘It is always a privilege to spend time in the company of His Royal Highness and none more so than when it involves our mutual enjoyment of classical music.

‘It is typically thoughtful of him to choose to highlight the plight of his many musical patronages, alongside the difficulties that all musicians face, during an unprecedented period when enjoyment of live music has been curtailed.’ 

A Royal Appointment will be broadcast on Classic FM tonight at 8pm, with Charles presenting a show himself tomorrow at the same time.