The future of Opera on Sydney Harbour is in doubt, with the NSW government and private sponsors yet to commit to funding another outdoor production next year.
Madama Butterfly, the third opera staged on Sydney Harbour, was launched on Wednesday by the Arts Minister George Souris, who said it would add $20 million to the state's economy during its three-week-season.
Set on a harbour: Hyeseoung Kwon (CIo-Cio-San), Andeka Gorrotxategi (Pinkerton) and geishas Jade Moffatt and Kathryn Radcliff.Credit: Janie Barrett
''This is a spectacular event in anyone's language worldwide,'' he said. ''This is one of the bucket list items of the world.''
But this year's harbour production might be the last, according to Opera Australia chief executive Craig Hassall.
''We're planning one for next year but we're still to lock in support from all the various stakeholders,'' he said.
The outdoor productions are named after Haruhisa Handa, a Japanese businessman and Shinto priest who gave the national opera company millions of dollars to stage three operas, beginning with La Traviata in 2012 and Carmen last year.
But the three-year sponsorship deal with Handa ends this year and Opera Australia is yet to secure more money from him, other private sponsors or the NSW government.
Hassall said the company was in discussions with the Japanese philanthropist to extend the sponsorship deal. ''He's very enthusiastic,'' he said. ''I'd be surprised if he doesn't continue but he hasn't confirmed that he will.''
But philanthropy is not enough to stage the outdoor operas, which Hassall said cost about $10 million to stage each year, with the state government through Destination NSW tipping in more than $1 million.
''We need both obviously to do this, so if I was putting money on it I'd say we'll keep going,'' he said. ''It would be crazy to do all this for three years and then never again. But it's not confirmed.''
Opera Australia artistic director Lyndon Terracini said the company was also seeking other financial supporters. ''Look, we're hoping and we're quietly confident that Opera on Sydney Harbour will continue,'' he said. ''Of course, it's depending on support from Dr Handa and Destination NSW.''
Madama Butterfly is being produced by Spanish company La Fura dels Baus and has several foreign performers singing the roles of Cio-Cio-San and Pinkerton. Opera Australia is locked in a dispute with singers' union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, over the quota that restricts the number of overseas singers who can perform in Australia.
Terracini said he believed the union was ''seeing a lot more commonsense. We're the only opera company in the world that has any restrictions and if we are serious about ensuring the long-term survival of an opera company, audiences want to buy tickets to see the best people.''
Terracini is supported by Hassall, who said: ''The protectionist notion of having a cap on foreign artists is a bit 19th-century to me.''
Opera on Sydney Harbour: Madama Butterfly is on from Friday to April 13.