Executive Director’s Report

The arts enrich our lives, bringing us moments of joy and connecting us with our humanity.

I gratefully recognise the support of Principal Partner Wesfarmers who have shown us arts leadership during a world pandemic by enabling a Wesfarmers Arts Commission of a new work.

We are here to share the joy of opera with many people around the state however 2020 was a year of halting live performance and we found other ways to remain connected by operating ‘in the ghost light’.

The impacts of COVID19 on the live performance sector and the arts in general has been dramatic. There has never been a greater need for the power of the arts to reconnect us to our community, rewire our hearts, and take solace in music and art.

We have kept sight of our dream which is to speak to the heart through the human voice; to share the joy of music through opera and the powerful stories opera tells. In March 2020 we pivoted into a new Ghost Light Strategy to enable the company to continue working ‘in the ghost light’ while we were away from the stage. Much of this was in the digital space through podcasts, playlists, livestreaming. When we returned to the stage at the end of the year we were proudly Western Australian in our cast for Così fan tutte and we navigated our way into a new method of producing the opera. I am very grateful to all of our staff and artists for such willingness to find new approaches to ensure we could continue to work in live performance in a safe new way.

I acknowledge and thank all of the company’s donors and foundations including support from Bel Canto Fund, Bendat Family Foundation, McCusker Foundation, Galvin Family Foundation, Andrew and Nicola Forrest and Minderoo Foundation, the generosity of our anonymous donors and stakeholders and supporters of the company.

It is the aim of West Australian Opera to deliver excellence both on and off the stage, and I wish to acknowledge and thank the Chairman and Board. My grateful thanks to staff and colleagues with whom I work closely all year-round at West Australian Opera, His Majesty’s Theatre, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Perth Theatre Trust, the Australia Council, Lotterywest, Healthway and industry colleagues.

Carolyn Chard AM

Executive Director, West Australian Opera