Traditional Opera on the decline in Australia

The national opera review discussion paper has painted a picture of a traditional mainstage art form in steep decline. Here are some of its main findings:

Since 2009, attendances at Australia’s Major Opera Companies have increased by 55 percent or 9.2 percent per annum, defying global trends. However, that achievement has come primarily through the strong diversification of Opera Australia’s activities into musicals and events such as Handa’s Opera on Sydney Harbour.

Over the same period, mainstage opera attendances declined by 27.5 percent, or at an average annual compound rate of 6.2 percent. To varying degrees, each of the four major Opera Companies has experienced a decline.

The major Opera Companies are under severe financial, artistic and access pressures.

The average cost per staging of a mainstage production has risen by 10 percent between 2009 and 2014, and the revenue per staging has fallen by 8 percent.

At an operating level, Opera Australia has incurred a cumulative deficit of $4.4million in the past two years, with expenditure rising faster than revenue.

In contrast to mainstage opera, musicals such asSouth Pacific and The King and I have generated a small but positive contribution to overheads.

Opera Queensland has been under significant financial pressure for a prolonged period. It has responded strategically to that pressure by reducing the number of mainstage operas; staging smaller productions; and putting on more concerts.

Despite its staging more innovative higher risk works, SOSA has exhibited financial prudence, with its generating a small surplus in all but one year since 2008-2009.

However, it remains financially vulnerable as can be seen by the fact that costs are rising at a faster rate than revenue (5.8 percent versus 4.6 percent).

WAO’s operating costs are rising faster than revenue

Since the GFC, WAO has generally been profitable with occasional small operating losses.

Some of the report's recommendations include.

Increase the number of opera productions.

Increase the number of Australian sourced new productions

Expand the number of less familiar works.

Increase the variety of repertoire choice.

Co-operate with festivals to develop new more challenging work.

Read the report here:

http://arts.gov.au/sites/default/files/consultations/NOR-Discussion-Paper-Web.pdf