Scottish Opera fights for its role in nation's cultural life

OPERA must continue to be part of Scotland’s cultural landscape, Scottish Opera urged yesterday, as speculation mounted over where likely cuts in its spending or staffing levels could fall.

The opera was in discussions with the Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Executive on future plans, but no decisions had been taken, the company said in a statement.

The Scotsman reported yesterday that the opera has taken a 4million advance against its annual budget of 7.5million, the latest sign that a major restructuring of the company is threatened.

"Opera must continue to be a part of the cultural landscape of Scotland, and Scottish Opera would want to be central to that," the statement read.

The chiefs of two of Scotland’s leading orchestras said yesterday they had not been approached about any possibility of shouldering the work of the opera’s staff orchestra.

Critics calling for wholesale changes at the opera have suggested either the Scottish Chamber Orchestra or the Royal Scottish National Orchestra could play in the pit at opera performances.

There is also speculation that management plans could involve "rationalising" the opera’s 55-member staff orchestra and the freelance orchestra used by its sister company, Scottish Ballet.

The RSNO chief executive, Simon Crookall, said it would take difficult compromises and complex planning for the RSNO’s musicians to play for the opera.

Similar plans were explored in a study of the national performing companies in the mid-1990s, but they were deemed unworkable, he said.

He added: "We currently do 130 performances a year and we couldn’t do that and play for the opera at the same time. It’s a very extreme solution. What they need is breathing space, rather than drastic cutting."

Roy McEwan, the managing director of the SCO, said: "It’s not something we’ve even discussed with them. As a freelance orchestra, we are always looking for work."