Oh, once again you're so good at getting artists to open up about topics that tend to be 'taboo' - here, finances and current, persistent models of how artists are paid in North America. Given the financial pressures on opera companies that have only gotten worse during the pandemic...it would be great to see some of them convert to a 'resident artist' model which, let's face it, is how the majority of companies function in Europe. I guess the challenges in doing that here are greatly impacted by the fact that most North American companies don't put on enough performances in a year to merit taking on artists full-time? But I wonder if enough of even say, the smaller 'regional' houses have considered such a model, and how it would compare to hiring in everyone on contract for each different production? If you have artists 'on staff' throughout the year, then indeed, you could do some meaningful community building...and the artists would get paid to do it! Many smaller companies certainly aren't relying on 'star power' to populate their shows...so, hiring a troupe of excellent, mid-career artists would hardly represent a big change in how they cast their opera productions. None of this is simple of course...but given all the cries for better treatment of artists during the pandemic, it's a little disheartening to see that models haven't changed much despite the justified outcry. And the thorny topic of performing arts groups now also being expected to do community service and how that butts up against their raison d'etre of selling a product deserves more discussion somewhere. It's just sort of been accepted as gospel...and I get the thinking and value behind it...but as Fons mentions, ultimately they need to sell tickets if they're to stay alive.
I know, wouldn't it be great to take a GO bus to Hamilton, watch an opera, get back, or take the train to Kingston for some opera, stay overnight, return next day? I wish on every country to be like Germany or the Benelux countries in this way. An opera house in every town, most of them built on the ensemble principle; good public and inter-city transit, manageable distances. RE Emily's book, I'm so glad she's talking about this. This kind of financial planning should be part of every YA program, and undergrad-level music school too.
One can dream. Talk about stating the obvious, but it makes me cry to think about how easy it is to see oodles of opera, concerts, plays etc at any small to medium sized European city...never mind the big ones!...and the relative ease of getting from one to the other. It's just not a priority in Canada - the transportation piece never mind $ to support resident companies/orchestras.
Oh, once again you're so good at getting artists to open up about topics that tend to be 'taboo' - here, finances and current, persistent models of how artists are paid in North America. Given the financial pressures on opera companies that have only gotten worse during the pandemic...it would be great to see some of them convert to a 'resident artist' model which, let's face it, is how the majority of companies function in Europe. I guess the challenges in doing that here are greatly impacted by the fact that most North American companies don't put on enough performances in a year to merit taking on artists full-time? But I wonder if enough of even say, the smaller 'regional' houses have considered such a model, and how it would compare to hiring in everyone on contract for each different production? If you have artists 'on staff' throughout the year, then indeed, you could do some meaningful community building...and the artists would get paid to do it! Many smaller companies certainly aren't relying on 'star power' to populate their shows...so, hiring a troupe of excellent, mid-career artists would hardly represent a big change in how they cast their opera productions. None of this is simple of course...but given all the cries for better treatment of artists during the pandemic, it's a little disheartening to see that models haven't changed much despite the justified outcry. And the thorny topic of performing arts groups now also being expected to do community service and how that butts up against their raison d'etre of selling a product deserves more discussion somewhere. It's just sort of been accepted as gospel...and I get the thinking and value behind it...but as Fons mentions, ultimately they need to sell tickets if they're to stay alive.
I know, wouldn't it be great to take a GO bus to Hamilton, watch an opera, get back, or take the train to Kingston for some opera, stay overnight, return next day? I wish on every country to be like Germany or the Benelux countries in this way. An opera house in every town, most of them built on the ensemble principle; good public and inter-city transit, manageable distances. RE Emily's book, I'm so glad she's talking about this. This kind of financial planning should be part of every YA program, and undergrad-level music school too.
One can dream. Talk about stating the obvious, but it makes me cry to think about how easy it is to see oodles of opera, concerts, plays etc at any small to medium sized European city...never mind the big ones!...and the relative ease of getting from one to the other. It's just not a priority in Canada - the transportation piece never mind $ to support resident companies/orchestras.