20th November 2024. More than 6,000 expressions of support in 6 days: with the petition ‘Save Opera Zuid’ singers, makers, designers, composers, technicians, residents of the South of the Netherlands and all opera lovers emphasized in recent days that Opera Zuid is a crucial, indispensable and exemplary part of the Dutch Cultural Basic Infrastructure. Unfortunately – despite broad support from the House of Representatives – the motion calling on the minister to find a solution for Opera Zuid was rejected.
The Cultural Council had previously concluded in its advisory report that Opera Zuid “structurally needs more scope to be able to fulfil its basic function as a fully-fledged opera company”, and called on Minister Bruins of Education, Culture and Science to actively support the company with additional financing options, “so that a realistic solution can be found for the institution”.
During the Cultural Debate of 11th November, it appeared that there was broad support for Opera Zuid among the Lower House factions. However, Minister Bruins indicated that the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science does not have the resources to respond to the call from the Council for Culture. The motion submitted by Mohammed Mohandis (GroenLinks-PvdA) calling on the minister to find a solution for Opera Zuid unfortunately did not receive a majority yesterday and was therefore rejected.
As a result, Opera Zuid is no longer able to translate the available resources into activities that do justice to a fully-fledged BIS company for the South of the Netherlands, which provides a broad and accessible opera repertoire. As things stand now, Opera Zuid will cease to exist. This will create an irreparable hole in the cultural and social ecosystem of the South of the Netherlands. It is now up to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science to formulate an answer to the question of whether and how the opera provision in the South of the Netherlands can be provided with insufficient resources.
Despite the minister’s verdict, Opera Zuid remains combative and will consider next steps in the coming period.
