Theatre, opera and national arts companies… [i]

We don't go to the theatre because it is cute but because we are members of the human race...

I lived in London for a short but wonderful 3.5 months. If there was one thing London proved to me about arts and theatre it is that there is a lot of it.

I always knew in theory that there was an abundance of choice available to me when it came to entertainment; the widening of the entertainment industry is well documented. Academic Chris Anderson - who pioneered the The Long Tail Theory - sees that as production and promotion becomes less expensive niche markets become more economically viable; the result for the consumer being an abundance of choice. (Anderson: 2008). This means the entertainment industry market place is becoming more and more crowded; there are more and more companies and individuals offering hits and non-hits.

Yet never had I been so aware of it in reality as when I came to London. Compared to Sydney, London is absolutely bursting at the seams. The print advertising on any given tube station is evidence of this. In one day in London (the 20^th October) I saw an English National Opera production of Britten’s The Turn of The Screw in the morning and Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic in the evening. In one week I went to Canterbury Cathedral on saturday, to the Comedy store on Sunday, to the Tate Brittain, a Turkish restaurant and the Arcola theatre on Thursday and to the Tate Modern, Borough Markets and local pub on the Friday. The amount on offer –paid or free –is extensive

For large subsidized cultural organizations such as Opera Australia in Sydney or the National Theatre in London, this can mean new opportunities as it becomes commercially viable –and sometimes necessary – to offer both hits (LaBoheme, The Pirates of Penzance at the Opera House and Warhorse The NT production which moved to the West End) and non-hits (or at least something a little more esoteric like the opera Lady Mcbeth of Mtsensk or the play Endgame), but it also means they must be active players in the market place. They can no longer rely on getting government grants, but must work to maintain cultural relevance and audience attendance. They must prove both to governments and to audiences that they are worth supporting. So here are some of the reasons why it is good to have a national company, and why it is good for those companies to be financially supported through private giving and government funding.

SO WHY HAVE A NATIONAL THEATRE?

Given that society values the production of high quality theatre which is enjoyable, entertaining and sometimes challenging, a theatre company the size of the National Theatre in London of Opera Australia is of importance because they can put on a varied season offering several productions that meet a variety of tastes and interests; employ large numbers of fulltime and permanent part-time staff and are able to gain an international reputation thus acting as an advertisement for the nation by showcasing it’s artistic and cultural potential.

BUT ISN’T THIS SORT OF THEATRE JUST FOR WEALTHY PEOPLE?

There is a significant argument against subsidy for companies like Opera Australia due to the fact that they attract small audiences from a fairly limited demographic. I would counter this firstly by suggesting that if OA received no government support and relied solely on ticket revenue for profit, they would never be able to reduce the cost of ticket prices, thus people with lower incomes would become even less likely to afford a ticket, and so the audience demographic would be narrowed even further. Secondly, by offering regional tours and schools concerts OA is able to widen its audience demographic and take opera to people who may never be able to make it to a performance at the Opera House. A recent article in the SMH illustrates the value which the Oz Opera tour adds not only to the company, but also to the towns which act as host to the touring arm of OA. Through tours like this companies like OA are able to demonstrate that they are not just for wealthy inner-city dwelling people.

OA is also beginning to film its performances for future cinema and DVD release, as other international companies (Metropolitan Opera, National Theatre) are already doing. In the National Theatre’s 2009 annual report, the Director, Nicolas Hynter wrote about new ventures the company was undertaking to extend the reach of the National Theatre into the entertainment market, such as live broadcasts in cinemas and new Sunday performances. These programs have been well received, and have become permanent features of the company. Hynter writes that:

Our determination to attract the widest and largest possible audience to a challenging repertoire found expression also in a three month season of Sunday performances which were so successful that, from July 2009 Sunday openings became a permanent part of our operation. We are now open seven days a week, we are available all over the country and much of the rest of the world. (p7)

For a company to run offer a wealth of repertoire, as do Opera Australia and the National Theatre, in mainstage performances, tours, schools, programmes and broadcasts, they require financial support from government funding, private giving and audience patronage. But in funding these ventures governments and individuals can see great return for their dollars and pounds as high quality, innovative and engaging theatre given back to the community.

DOES A NATIONAL COMPANY REALLY EMPLOY THAT MANY PEOPLE?

Because national theatre companies operate on a full-time year-round schedule they really do employ a lot of staff with expertise in a variety of areas. For instance:

Opera Australia employs a total of about 1 300 people each year – over 300 permanent and seasonal staff and up to 1 000 more on a casual basis. This staff includes singers, repetiteurs, language coaches, directors, conductors, designers, electricians, mechanists, props technicians, dressers, make-up technicians, and other production staff, stage management, stores-persons, carpentersm welders, architects, tailors, sewers, wigmakers, painters, writers, ticket sellers, and administrators.

(2007 Annual Report, p 46)

That’s a whole of artists and professionals being employed within the arts industry.[1] Opera Australia obviously has to pay these employees, which of course adds to the operational costs of the company. In the Annual report Opera Australia writes that they employ 425 full time equivalents. If these 425 members off staff were paid $40 000, that bill would come to $17 000 000. That just on wages. Not on the manufacture of props, wigs, costumes or set. It doesn’t include venue hire, marketing or publications. Opera, and theatre is expensive to do at a full time, professional global standard.

NATIONAL COMPANIES CONTRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC AND ARTS EDUCATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN

One of the best ways national (and state) companies give back to the community is through the provision of schools concerts and tours which offer programs devised specifically for children. These programs are often developed in direct connection with the state syllabus and so they act to enhance classroom learning in very relevant way. In supporting the education programs of organisations like the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia and in the UK the National theatre, government bodies and individuals show that they care about the education and development of the nation’s children. For children of all demographics to be exposed to music and theatre is a wonderful thing. It can inspire in children a desire to perform and a knowledge and appreciation of music and theatre they may otherwise have never witnessed. It will hopefully lead children to become adults who financially support the arts industry by becoming the audience of the future. The National Theatre in the UK is committed to providing entertainment to children and adolescents as they “want to encourage life long engagement with theatre and believe children need to actively participate”. (Annual report, 2009, p 21). They achieve this through masterclasses, schools tours and adult training programs. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra also provide specific programs for infants, primary and high school aged students, as well as the Discovery concert series for adults and pre-professional ‘training’ orchestras for tertiary music students. Likewise Opera Australia runs school tours in Victoria and New South Wales, and runs a Young Artist program which offers valuable performance and industry experience to emerging singers.

These sorts of programs can not exist through the revenue gained from ticket sales alone. (SSO school concert tickets can be as cheap as $4) In order for these types of companies to provide such valuable education programs they need to receive generous support through government funding and philanthropy.

In the movie Dead Poet Society, Prof. Keating tells his students “We do not read and write poetry because its cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race”. I agree with him, but I also think this sentiment can be extended to include classical music, opera and live theatre. These artforms are far from out dates. They are constantly being renewed with innovative re-interpretations, new compositions and new scripts and new productions. Learning and experiencing classical and traditional music and drama is a brilliant foundation for exploring other more contemporary or experimental forms. Learning the rules is essential for being able to break them. Providers of traditional cultural forms deserve the continued support of the community not because opera or symphonies are cute, but because opera and symphonies can speak to us about what it is to be human. They can teach us and educate us. They can open our minds to a wealth of creative possibilities. If we are passionate about education and creativity and the arts then we should approve of government funding to these companies which seek to provide theatre and music to the nation.

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[1] This doesn’t include Sydney Opera House staff (such as ushers and box office staff) who are vital to the smooth running of any production at the house, either by one of the House’s resident companies (Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony Orchestra), as well as the other companies who hire the theatre spaces (Bell Shakespeare, Sydney Theatre, individual artists).

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[i] This rambling essay of sorts contains extracts from an assignment I wrote for the course London Theatre In Performance, at the University Of Westminster.

Works cited include:

Anderson, C (2008) The Long Tail: Why the Future Of Business is Selling Less of More,

Hyperdion: New York

(2009) The Royal National Theatre Annual Report and Financial Statements 2008 – 2009, www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

(2007) Opera Australia Annual Report 2007