1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2004  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/02/2004   
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Contents >> Culture and recreation >> Performing arts

The performing arts include music performances, acting, dance performances, opera and musicals, circuses and puppet shows.

Attendance at the performing arts

Attendance at the performing arts is a significant aspect of the cultural life of many Australians. Table 12.12 shows that in the 12 months prior to interview in 2002, 26.4% of the Australian population aged 18 and over (3.8 million people) attended at least one popular music concert; 18.7% (2.7 million people) attended at least one opera or musical; and 18.0% (2.6 million people) attended at least one theatre performance. Attendance rates at most of the performing arts were generally similar to or slightly higher than those recorded in a survey conducted in 1999.

12.12 ATTENDANCE(a) AT THE PERFORMING ARTS - 2002

Popular music concerts
Classical music concerts
Dance performances
Musicals and operas
Theatre performances
Other performing arts
Attendance rate(b)
%
%
%
%
%
%

Males
26.6
7.7
8.4
15.1
15.3
19.2
Females
26.2
10.2
13.4
22.1
20.6
21.5
Persons
26.4
9.0
10.9
18.7
18.0
20.4
Age group (years)
18-24
43.8
6.3
10.5
16.0
19.8
23.3
25-34
33.2
6.6
10.3
17.9
17.7
24.0
35-44
25.9
8.1
14.0
17.1
19.4
20.9
45-54
24.9
10.9
12.1
21.6
19.9
20.6
55-64
20.3
13.2
10.7
23.2
17.6
19.5
65 and over
10.4
9.7
6.9
16.6
13.0
12.9
Birthplace
Australia
27.8
8.1
10.5
19.8
18.9
20.5
Main English-speaking countries
28.5
11.5
12.6
20.5
21.3
23.5
Other countries
19.5
10.8
11.6
12.7
12.1
17.9

(a) Attendance at least once in the 12 months prior to interview in 2002.
(b) The number of people who attended, expressed as a percentage of the number of people in that population group.
Source: Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2002 (4114.0).

Performing arts industries

The ABS conducted a survey of performing arts industries in respect of 1999-2000. The survey found that there were 1,437 employing businesses mainly engaged in the performing arts industries at the end of June 2000. Of these, 705 mainly provided live music and theatre productions; 125 operated venues for performing arts such as concert halls and entertainment centres; and 606 provided services to the arts industry such as festival management, casting agency operation, costume design and set designing. They employed 16,429 persons at the end of June 2000 and a further 20,752 persons worked as volunteers. During 1999-2000 they earned a total income of $1,633.8m, of which $470.0m was from government funding and $460.5m from box office income.

Symphony Australia Orchestral Network

The Symphony Australia Orchestral Network comprises Australia's six major professional symphony orchestras - Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony, The Queensland Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and West Australian Symphony Orchestra - as well as the national service organisation, Symphony Australia. The network was established as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) over a number of years from 1932. The orchestras and the national service organisation now operate as subsidiary companies of the ABC. The orchestras present live performances in Australia's major performing arts venues and in free open-air concerts. They also present broadcasts on ABC radio and television, make recordings for international record labels, accompany opera and ballet performances, undertake international tours, and give performances in regional and country areas throughout Australia. In 2002, the six orchestras presented 643 concerts to audiences totalling more than 797,000 people (table 12.13) and reached much larger audiences through their recording and broadcast activities. More information about Symphony Australia and its activities can be obtained from the web site, <http://www.symphony.net.au>.

12.13 SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS

2001
2002


Type of performance
Concerts
Total attendances
Concerts
Total attendances

Paid orchestral concerts
452
559,134
433
546,658
School concerts
221
107,907
198
88,389
Free concerts
22
210,188
12
162,667
Total
695
877,229
643
797,714

Source: Symphony Australia.

Musica Viva

Musica Viva, Australia's national promoter and organiser of chamber music concerts, began as a performing ensemble named Sydney Musica Viva in December 1945. During 2002, 2,715 concerts or other performances were presented by Musica Viva across Australia and overseas, with audiences totalling 482,363 Australians and 42,070 overseas patrons (table 12.14). Ménage concerts, designed for people aged between 18 and 35 years and presented in unusual, intimate venues, were presented in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney to audiences totalling 1,779. CountryWide, a regional touring program, reached audiences of 21,608, while the live music education program ('Musica Viva in Schools') reached 415,444 students across Australia and in Singapore. Further information on Musica Viva can be obtained from the web site, <http://www.musicaviva.com.au>.

12.14 MUSICA VIVA AUDIENCES(a)

Location
1999
2000
2001
2002

New South Wales
274,495
263,162
276,931
290,294
Victoria
34,183
48,096
47,159
53,730
Queensland
22,144
27,608
25,837
34,596
South Australia
16,073
19,624
24,582
24,726
Western Australia
44,474
43,999
41,110
50,779
Tasmania
8,024
11,408
10,201
10,308
Northern Territory
7,171
8,336
7,895
8,458
Australian Capital Territory
12,947
9,102
9,366
9,472
Australia
419,511
431,335
443,101
482,363
Overseas
34,350
37,500
34,770
42,070
Total
453,861
468,835
477,851
524,433

(a) Includes audiences at regional touring concerts, education concerts, subscription concerts and special events.
Source: Musica Viva Australia.

Opera Australia

In 1997, the Australian Opera and the Victorian State Opera merged to become Opera Australia. More reliant on box office receipts than many of the world's arts companies, approximately 70% of Opera Australia's revenue comes directly from ticket sales.

With a repertoire spanning the history of opera, in excess of 200 mainstage performances are presented each year (table 12.15), making the company one of the three busiest opera companies in the world including the Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, New York. To support this schedule, the company engages a full-time opera chorus and two resident orchestras - The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, based in Sydney, and Orchestra Victoria in Melbourne. Further information about Opera Australia can be obtained from the web site, <http://www.opera-australia.org.au>.

12.15 OPERA AUSTRALIA, Key indicators

1998
1999
2000
2001
2002

Employees
1,175
1,118
1,389
1,254
1,266
Performances
237
237
196
225
222
Attendances
268,866
290,770
254,212
268,012
262,659

Source: Opera Australia.

The Australian Ballet

The Australian Ballet, formed in 1962, is a full-time ensemble company that presents over 200 performances annually both in Australia and abroad. The company has received international acclaim for its presentations of great ballet classics, as well as modern repertoire created by Australian and international choreographers. Further information regarding the Australian ballet can be obtained from the web site, <http://www.australianballet.com.au>.

In 2002, the Australian Ballet gave 217 performances and employed 153 persons, consisting of 72 dancers and 81 other staff (table 12.16).

12.16 THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET

1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002

PERFORMANCES

Theatres in Australia
New South Wales
81
94
80
81
94
87
Victoria
62
58
48
61
63
62
Queensland
10
7
6
10
6
13
South Australia
6
8
6
8
13
11
Western Australia
6
-
-
6
-
11
Tasmania
-
-
-
-
-
5
Australian Capital Territory
8
7
-
6
6
6
Other venues in Australia
Special events
-
-
-
16
5
-
Regional (The Dancers Company)
10
18
23
14
16
21
Open-air
1
1
1
1
1
1
Overseas
-
-
20
-
7
-
Total
184
193
184
203
211
217

EMPLOYMENT(a)

Dancers
62
62
62
61
69
72
Other staff(b)
82
82
82
78
81
81
Total
144
144
144
139
150
153

(a) Average for the year.
(b) Includes artistic, music, production, marketing and administration staff.
Source: The Australian Ballet, 'Annual Reports'.



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