Question about finances

[Amy Reusch]

There is a scene in the Wiseman documentary on the POB where representatives are negotiating a visit for donors from the Lehman Bros firm... and I kept wondering... Isn't the POB a government agency? And they still take donations? How does that work?

[silvermash]

Well I’m not very much into the budget of the company but if that helps... What I understood from a talk given by the late director Gerard Mortier, if the Paris Opera (opéra and ballet) is state funded, most of this money is going into the salaries. The productions are mostly funded with other funds, Patrons companies Circle, The American Friends, The Friends of Paris Opera, Private Patrons, Private Foundations, and some companies involved in specific productions…

[leonid17]

There is a scene in the Wiseman documentary on the POB where representatives are negotiating a visit for donors from the Lehman Bros firm... and I kept wondering... Isn't the POB a government agency? And they still take donations? How does that work?

I think most of the major theatres in Europe that present ballet have financial support over and above government subsidies. The Royal Opera House Limited for instance is beginning to project itself as much of being a corporate status organisation than purely an arts organisation which, give the recent financial situation, is no doubt a necessity. The last published accounts of March 2008 showed it received a state subsidy of £26.3m .

Financial report available at http://www.charity- ommission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/ScannedAccounts/Ends75/0000211775_ac_20080330_e_c.pdf

Added:

The finances of Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris. see http://www.sinic.gov.co/SINIC/Publicacione...08327111712.pdf

[cinnamonswirl]

Today's Wall Street Journal has an article about the "Americanization" of philanthropy in Europe (increasing reliance on large/or corporate donors). POB is one of the institutions referenced. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1259286459...WhatsNewsSecond