Why were there four, not five? Followers of the arts in Scotland had to wait until yesterday for the reason for Scottish Opera's absence from this year's Edinburgh International Festival. What put the question centre-stage, under a glaring spotlight, was the fact that Scotland's other national companies - the National Theatre, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra - each had a major production at the festival.
Why were there four, not five? Followers of the arts in Scotland had to wait until yesterday for the reason for Scottish Opera's absence from this year's Edinburgh International Festival. What put the question centre-stage, under a glaring spotlight, was the fact that Scotland's other national companies - the National Theatre, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra - each had a major production at the festival.
Jonathan Mills, the festival's director, revealed that Scottish Opera had priced itself out of performing and would have cost £200,000 more than Cologne Opera, which was selected to stage Richard Strauss's Capriccio this week. There was nothing capricious about the festival's decision. Nor was Scottish Opera's bill calculated on a whim. That the cost would have been, in Mr Mills's words, "prohibitively expensive" was a hangover from the business plan put in place by the Scottish Executive in 2004 to address the financial crisis faced by the company.
That crisis was itself the result of underfunding and inefficient management, both of which the plan was intended to address. But implementing it caused Scottish Opera a great deal of pain, the consequences of which are still being felt, as the company's absence from this year's festival confirms. In return for transitional funding of £7m, the company agreed to reduce operating costs, which involved the loss of the chorus.
The necessity to hire a chorus, costumes and wardrobe for this year's proposed festival production apparently tipped the balance against Scottish Opera. It is evident that the company cannot be blamed in any way for what, in terms of the festival's global image and Scotland's cultural reputation, amounts to an embarrassing omission. Nor should the festival be criticised. It, too, has to live within budgets. Scottish Opera appears to have come through its black days, which included "going dark" for an unprecedented nine months for major productions. It has turned itself around and is on budget. Clearly, however, damage has been caused by the terms of the previous executive's funding package. If the damage is not to be lasting, the new executive must put the national companies on a secure, long-term financial footing. The £2m Expo Fund is a helpful prelude.
