Manifesto for opera in Scotland

The Musicians’ Union (MU) is calling for the development of a national strategy for opera provision in Scotland and has launched a ‘Manifesto for Opera in Scotland’ which aims to create an appetite for opera throughout Scotland. Through this it hopes to increase the number of people experiencing opera; generate employment for musicians and attract and retain talented musicians in Scotland; and maximise the value of public investment in supporting opera. John Smith, MU General Secretary, said: “we have to demonstrate what opera means for 21st Century Scotland, what it contributes to it – and we also need to define what makes it distinctively Scottish”. The MU believes that the current situation of having a part-time orchestra employed at Scottish Opera is “a short-term fix rather than the long-term solution for the future of opera in Scotland”.