Ballet’s Bloodless Debut Sparks Outrage Among Australian Orchestral Musicians
A highly anticipated ballet production of Dracula has taken a grim turn, transforming into a tale of “blood-sucking” horror for Australia’s professional orchestral musicians. The West Australian Ballet’s upcoming Adelaide performances of the Bram Stoker classic will feature a pre-recorded score by the WA Symphony Orchestra, bypassing the need to hire live musicians for the engagement. This decision has ignited a firestorm of protest, with musicians and their union decrying the move as a blow to artistic integrity and employment opportunities.
Lachlan Bramble, a violinist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and president of the Symphony Orchestra Musician Association, expressed his profound disappointment. “When we heard that West Australian Ballet were using a backing track, it was a head-in-the-hands moment,” Bramble stated. He argues that the very essence of ballet relies on the dynamic interplay between dancers and live musicians. According to Bramble, “The dynamics, the emotional power of an orchestra can’t be replicated by loudspeakers and a PA system.” He believes that audiences also suffer when deprived of the visceral experience of live music.
The discontent is widespread, with over 500 orchestral musicians throwing their support behind a motion from the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA). This motion formally demands that the WA Ballet engage live musicians for the Dracula tour in Adelaide. The union reports that the motion received unanimous backing from members of more than half a dozen prominent Australian orchestras, including the West Australian Symphony Orchestra itself.
Paul Davies, the MEAA’s musicians director, underscored the principle at stake. “When organisations rely on taxpayer dollars to operate, it is fair to expect them to provide meaningful employment for real people, rather than seeking ways to cut corners,” Davies commented. This sentiment highlights a growing concern that arts organisations, often reliant on public funding, are prioritising cost-saving measures over supporting the livelihoods of the artists who bring their productions to life.
The West Australian Ballet, however, has defended its decision, stating that the company does not receive specific state or federal funding for touring Dracula in Adelaide. This financial constraint, they claim, made hiring live musicians for the Adelaide run unfeasible. In a statement, the ballet company asserted, “The suggestion that West Australian Ballet does not support live music is simply wrong.”
Lauren Major, the company’s executive director, explained that the four-day trial run at the Festival Theatre in April was conceived as a crucial test of the financial viability of interstate touring in the long term. She expressed a hope to return to Adelaide with live musicians in the future. “We need to test whether there is an audience in Adelaide for the West Australian Ballet, as we have not been there for well over a decade,” Major elaborated, emphasising the need to gauge audience demand before committing to more extensive tours.
The WA Ballet maintains its position as a significant employer of performing artists within Western Australia. Regarding the recorded score for Dracula, the company confirmed that the musicians involved in recording Wojciech Kilar’s work, conducted by Jessica Gethin, were compensated for their time. Furthermore, they will receive royalties from the Adelaide tour, suggesting a form of ongoing remuneration.
Nadia Buck, a freelance violinist based in Adelaide who has previously performed with international artists like Bruce Springsteen, voiced her disappointment. “It’s a real pity and very disappointing, because live music is so important for ballet, it’s not a luxury,” Buck stated. She expressed her expectation of being engaged for a production of this calibre.
Buck also noted a broader trend within the live performance industry, where commercial musicals and other productions are increasingly opting for recorded music. This shift, she fears, is making the professional lives of freelance musicians like herself increasingly precarious.
In a contrasting note, the Dracula production is scheduled to perform in Perth during May at His Majesty’s Theatre, where the WA Symphony Orchestra will indeed play the score live. This distinction highlights the localised nature of the dispute and raises questions about consistency in artistic and employment practices across different venues and touring legs. The debate over recorded versus live music in the performing arts continues to be a critical issue for musicians and arts organisations across the nation.
