Once revered as the pinnacle of cultural sophistication, opera now sits in the crosshairs of Arts Council England (ACE), which is calling into question the relevance of a genre steeped in history. This comes on the heels of ACE’s new report that follows its controversial stance in 2022, criticizing the dominance of century-old operas in today’s repertoire.

Opera under scrutiny

• A staggering percentage of operas performed are over 100 years old.
• Only 4% of the UK adult population attends opera, raising concerns about its future viability.

Anti-elitist perspective

ACE’s report indicates a push for modernity, suggesting that reliance on traditional opera signifies a lack of creativity. It’s also true that only a few large companies use the majority of the subsidy, making it difficult for small organizations actually producing new operas to compete. However, they face criticism for what some see as an anti-elitist attitude toward historical works and the experts who appreciate them.

Opera’s core audience

Despite debates over its relevance, opera maintains a steady fan base that prefers traditional operas from the canon over contemporary operas. The argument seems unfair in the face of theatre, where companies like the Royal Shakespeare Company focus on plays from authors even more “offensively dead than Verdi”.

Responding to the challenge

• Theatres and companies are in a bind as past successes do not guarantee future funding or survival.

• Some organizations like the English Touring Opera are finding a balance between grand productions and more intimate, innovative experiences.

• In the face of funding cuts, ACE are asking opera companies to reflect contemporary stories and avoid traditional hierarchies.

The big question:

As the debate rages, the question remains: do we allow older canonical works to dominate the stages, or should funding bodies force companies to produce new works which represent today’s diverse cultural landscape?

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Michael Vincent

Michael Vincent is the Editor-in-chief Ludwig Van and CEO of Museland Media. He publishes regularly and writes occasionally. A specialist in digital media for over 15 years, he has worked as a senior editor and is a former freelance classical music critic for the Toronto Star. Michael holds a Doctorate in Music from the University of Toronto.

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