PERFORMING FOR TODAY BUILDING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT 2007/08 PERFORMING FOR TODAY Symphonie Fantastique Le Grand Cirque Sydney Opera House is one of the busiest and most successful performing arts centres in the world. FOR TODAY Operating 363 days, 1,269,996 people attended 1,661 performances over the year. Performance Partnerships 53,726 children attended our Kids at the Through our own programming division, Resident companies – The Australian House and House:Ed programs designed Sydney Opera House Presents, our resident Ballet, Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony for young audiences. companies and major hirers we generated and Sydney Theatre Company – were 2,709 people attended the Balnaves Open a wealth of diverse performances including responsible for 54% of our total audiences House Program that extends access to the international artists and ensembles, local and and 34% of all performances. broader community by offering $5 tickets. newly commissioned works, emerging artists Our Major Partners NAB and HP, our and programs for families and schools. Approximately 120,000 unique visitors five Media Partners and our 20 Corporate visit our website every month. Sydney Opera House Presents aims to complement Sponsors help us to achieve our business the programming of our resident companies objectives. 605 people are employed at Sydney Opera and extend the cultural experiences available House and help us to achieve success every day. Our 417 private donors generously contributed to the people of Sydney and NSW. Our They are joined by many, many other people $545,305, an increase of 15% year on programming under this banner represented on site who work with our resident companies, year, to allow us to invest in the world’s best 44% of all performances across our venues. food and beverage operators, building and performing artists and to extend our access maintenance contractors and retailers – all of and education programs to a wider audience. whom contribute to our vibrant community. People Precinct Some 7 million people visit the site every year. Work continued on the $38m Accessibility and 375,559 people attended Sydney Opera House Western Foyers Project, to be completed by mid Presents performances an increase of 19%. 2009. This project includes a large capacity lift and installation of two new escalators, As part of our commitment to extend access ensuring better access for less mobile patrons. to the broadest possible community, 45% of patrons to our programs were new to Sydney Opera House. 1 BUILDING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS 2 Accessibility and Western Foyers Project Our achievements to date are significant and our commitment to promoting and developing access to our performances and preserving our world heritage listed status is ongoing. Ensuring Sydney is a cultural Preservation and development Developing a digital content powerhouse and world stage of our World Heritage Listed distribution capability for the performing arts architectural masterpiece In 2008, Opera Australia in collaboration with We are committed to investing in Sydney Remaining works for our Accessibility and Sydney Opera House and the Australian Film and Australia’s performing arts offering. Our Western Foyers Project are to be completed Commission presented a free live telecast of investment in the performing arts will continue by mid next year. In addition to completely Carmen to screens on the Sydney Opera House to see growth in our performance programs, refurbished foyers, a large capacity lift will link Forecourt, Federation Square in Melbourne collaborations with our resident companies to the Western Foyers and main Box Office and to eight regional cinemas, across Australia. and the presentation of the world’s finest while new escalators will provide access from The Australian Ballet, also in collaboration artists. Our expenditure in the performing arts the main Box Office to the Southern Foyers with Sydney Opera House and the increased to $8.5m this year, an increase of 8%. of the Concert Hall and Opera Theatre. Australian Film Commission broadcast a live performance of The Nutcracker to the Forecourt Education and Access Work continues on securing a workable design and to eight locations in regional Australia. We are committed to expanding access to our and funding parameters for the renewal of award-winning and far-reaching education the Opera Theatre and Concert Hall to bring Sydney Opera House is committed to using program and exploring opportunities them up to a contemporary standard for our digital technology to extend access to the for technology to enable us to deliver performing companies, artists and patrons. performing arts beyond the confines of its venues by using broadcasts to distribute content educational content direct to schools. Growing our fundraising activities to live sites, cinemas, internet and DVD. Sydney Opera House is dedicated to The Sydney Opera House fundraising facilitating access to performances inside our program is essential to our ability to invest Sustainability venue to a broad section of the community. for the next generation. Funds raised via our A sustainability group has been created with Thanks to the generosity of Neil Balnaves, Annual Giving Program are directed to four a focus on developing plans to reduce our the Balnaves Open House Program, now streams of our business: bringing the best of ecological footprint, water-use and energy. in its second year, provides $5 tickets to the world’s performers to our stage; enhancing disadvantaged people within our community. and developing our education program; Through performances in our iconic building enabling access to the House through a variety we aim to provide inspirational experiences of programs; and preserving and protecting that allow people to transcend the every day. our World Heritage building and precinct. 3 CONTENTS Letter to Minister 5 Chairman’s Message 6 CEO’s Message 8 Who We Are 10 Vision and Goals 10 Key Dates 10 Key Outcomes 2007/08 and Objectives 2008/09 11 Performing Arts 12 Music 14 Theatre 16 Opera 18 Dance 20 Young Audiences & Education 22 Broadening the Experience 24 Building and Environment 26 Corporate Governance 28 The Trust 30 The Executive Team 32 People and Culture 34 Financials 36 Financial Statements 38 Government Reporting 60 Performance List 70 Strategic Plan 2007/10 73 Index 74 Sponsors 75 Annual Giving Program 76 Contact Information 78 Location Map Inside Back Cover COVER: Max & Aysia Sydney Opera House is one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world. We are performing now and we are building for the future generations. 4 The Hon. Nathan Rees, MP Premier and Minister for the Arts Sir, we have the pleasure of presenting the Annual Report of the Sydney Opera House for the year ended 30 June 2008, for presentation to Parliament. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983. Kim Williams AM Richard Evans Chairman Chief Executive 5 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 2007/8 has been a busy, challenging and exciting year which presented much for reflection. I am pleased to report that Sydney Opera House has continued to deliver a solid performance during the year for visitors, audiences, performing companies, artists, other stakeholders and the broader community. Operating revenues grew by $6m (an increase of 8%). 6 Financial and Operating Performance Future Outlook Board and Executive Changes 2007/8 has been a busy, challenging and The focus in 2008/9 will be on growth in the Existing Trustees Renata Kaldor AO, exciting year which presented much for Public Programs to include more free and low Robert Leece AM and Leo Schofield AM reflection. I am pleased to report that cost programs and special events so that even were reappointed from 1 January 2008 for Sydney Opera House has continued to more people can experience the exhilaration further three-year terms. They bring great deliver a solid performance during the of a performing arts experience. During the skill and commitment to the Trust. I was year for visitors, audiences, performing Western Foyer refurbishment, there is an also reappointed for a further three-year companies, artists, other stakeholders and opportunity to showcase The Famous Spiegeltent term as Chair of the Trust and it continues the broader community. Operating revenues (built in 1920), on the Forecourt from October to be a privilege to Chair such a dynamic grew by $6m (an increase of 8%). through November 2008 bringing together organisation which is central to the health two iconic venues for a festival of events. of the performing arts across our nation. For the third year in a row attendance at performing arts programs increased, to a level The Trust will continue to look at ways to grow Richard Evans having stepped down as of 1,269,996 (up 5% from the previous year). the commercial areas of the enterprise (tourism, Executive Director at the Australian Ballet, A number of outstanding Australian and retail, food and beverage) as well as from commenced as the new Chief Executive in international artists provided opportunities continuing fundraising efforts. Such activities late January 2008. Richard brings extensive for new and existing audiences to engage with enable the Trust to fund diverse, accessible knowledge and experience in the performing the performing arts and celebrate the diversity performing arts programs and community arts and is an insightful,