The Wire

Opera in Australia is often seen as elitist or niche, and with average tickets costing $100 or more it’s not an option for many. But what if you could see world class opera performances as films at your local cinema, for a fraction of that price? Last year Sharmill Films took a gamble, by striking a deal with ‘The Met’, a major New York company, to distribute their operas to Australian Cinemas. The initiative is now in its second season, and is attracting good audiences at theatres in Sydney and Melbourne. But is the quest for accessibility diminishing the art form?