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ABC sings a timely duet with Opera Australia

ABC TV and Opera Australia have forged a new partnership to broadcast 15 operas over the next three years.

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Has ABC ever been so happy to announce a new partnership with an Arts organisation?

Under a barrage of criticism that it not fulfilling its Charter, ABC TV and Opera Australia have forged a new partnership to broadcast 15 operas on ABC1 and ABC2 over the next three years.

In November ABC will begin its season of Opera Australia productions with Sunday afternoon broadcasts of The Marriage of Figaro, Der Rosenkavalier and the The Mikado on ABC1. They will also screen on ABC2, with dates to be announced.

Other productions to follow will include La Bohème and Lakmé (pictured) and more.

“This great partnership deepens ABC TV’s ongoing commitment to the delivery of the very finest in Arts programming,” said Kim Dalton ABC Director of Television. “Opera Australia and ABC TV have worked very hard to make sure that all Australians have the opportunity to enjoy the work of one of the premier performing arts organisations in Australia.”

Chief executive of Opera Australia Adrian Collette even made sure to acknowledge ABC’s commitment to the Arts.

“I want to thank the ABC for working with us to ensure that Opera Australia’s performances will be accessible to all Australians, wherever they might live. Now we can all experience the work of the finest Australian and international operatic artists. I congratulate the ABC on their confident commitment to artistic programming,” he said.

Amanda Duthie, Head of ABC Television Arts and Entertainment added, “It is a delight for ABC TV to partner with Opera Australia in bringing the very best of opera to our audiences throughout Australia. The partnership will allow us to broadcast some of the most popular operas from the wonderful repertoire of Opera Australia.”

In recent years opera and musical productions on the ABC have been largely under the banner of ABC2 Live Presents, sometimes with modest results. Adding to Sunday afternoons on ABC1 will go some of the way to allay concerns over the loss of Art Nation although these are Event rather than weekly broadcasts.

Today ABC Managing Director Mark Scott rejected concerns the axing of Art Nation meant the broadcaster was no longer committed to the Arts.

ABC1
Marriage of Figaro Sunday 13 November @ 2.00pm
Der Rosenkavalier Sunday 20 November @ 2.00pm
The Mikado Sunday 27 November @ 2.00pm

ABC2 programming yet to be advised.

4 Responses

  1. Funny – they used to do that years ago. I believe they aired in prime time in the good old days under the banner of the Sunday Stereo Special. Seems rather quaint now. I suppose if Sunday afternoons is all that’s on offer, we shouldn’t knock it.

    @pietro – releasing them on DVD/Blu-Ray opens up a whole new can of worms re artist fees, venue recording fees, etc, etc. You’d think it would be easy, but it’s not.

  4. We are way behind with the technology of arts’ broadcasting. Other countries would be showing these productions in HD with 5.1 sound. I would at least hope the ABC will be recording them for potential Blu-ray release.

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