Image: The Merry Widow. Picture by James Rogers
The Queensland Government has committed $2.16 million in additional funding over four years to help Opera Queensland grow, invest in new initiatives and return to three mainstage Brisbane seasons from 2019.
This is the first major announcement for Opera Queensland’s new executive management team and was delivered by Queensland Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch at Opera Queensland’s opening performance of its 2018 season, the sold-out Reprise at QAGOMA.
Combining classical music with modern art, including new compositions by Paul Grabowsky and Megan Washington, Reprise is a taste of what’s to come from Opera Queensland’s new Artistic Director Patrick Nolan.
Nolan, who has promised a 2019 season themed around classical, contemporary and future, said the impact of the new funding would be immediate.
‘We can now plan for three mainstage productions in 2019. With this public recognition and affirmation, we can look to the future, confident that the State Government is invested in not only sustaining, but also growing our artform,’ Nolan said.
‘As a major arts organisation we believe it’s essential to engage with artists working around us now, and the commissioning of new works, as well as engaging with Queensland’s smaller arts companies, is going to be central to our artistic programming.
‘There’s a good reason why so many people in the arts are moving to Queensland and I applaud the Queensland Government for showing such dedicated support for the arts across the state,’ Nolan said.
