Where are the development programs for women opera directors?

Whereas state theatre companies have taken a proactive role in investing in development programs for women directors and other creatives, opera companies are accused of falling behind.

Australia’s major opera companies need to invest in development programs for emerging women directors, according to the director of an upcoming chamber opera in Melbourne. 

While there are development programs for Australian opera singers (including State Opera South Australia’s Opera Academy and Melbourne Opera’s Richard Divall Emerging Artists Programme) Maudlin was forced to look overseas in order to strengthen her skills as an opera director.  

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Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's former National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in early 2020. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association in 2021, and a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Photo: Fiona Hamilton. Follow Richard on Bluesky @richardthewatts.bsky.social and Instagram @richard.l.watts