World Opera Forum 2024 Introduction: Making a Case for Opera in the 21st Century
Opera has benefitted for decades from the support of cultural agencies and private philanthropists for different reasons. In much of Europe, governments have been motivated by a sense of obligation to their national culture and cultural infrastructure. In North America, the grandeur and exclusivity of opera has been an allure to many social and business leaders. Many countries exhibit a mix of these motivations, but in a world of competing priorities and limited resources, support structures for opera companies in their current form are weakening. Making a case for opera today cannot be a simple narrative exercise in which different language is found to change the public perception and value of the art form. Superficial changes will not be sufficient to overcome barriers to opera participation. Making a case for opera requires new organizational and artistic strategies that make theaters welcoming to more diverse audiences and convey the importance of the arts, artists, and arts workers to healthy communities and thriving economies. What is the government’s responsibility to support the arts in a world that is becoming increasingly multicultural? Are commitments to overcome the elitism of opera and increase diversity authentic and sustained? Is the tempo of evolution too slow; is disruption a necessary precursor to reinvention?
