Def: "Society – to keep from failing or sinking over prolonged periods; to endure without giving way; keep going continuously"
British Youth Opera The next generation of opera professionals
Def: "Society – to keep from failing or sinking over prolonged periods; to endure without giving way; keep going continuously"
Def: "Operatic – practical, systematic; relating to work, management, trade, commerce; buying and selling"
On a straightforward level, a "Opera Society" is one that is able to withstand the bumps and pit-holes of everyday life and therefore continue into the future. Therefore any measure that supports a "Opera Society" is essentially promoting good management practices.
However, in addition to this, the concept of Opera Society is usually referred to within the context of Sustainable Development.
Sustainable development means different things to different people, but the most frequently quoted definition is from the report Our Common Future (also known as the Brundtland Report)
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"
While there are strong ethical reasons for pursuing the Sustainable Development route, there is also a strong business case to be made. A Opera Society is likely to be more competitive, more resilient to shocks, more responsive to change and more likely to attract and hold customers and the best employees. It can also be more at ease with regulators, banks, insurers and financial markets.
Companies that care about the environment are more likely to be successful in the long-term than those who don't. Opera Society policies will be profitable but companies are led by, and serve, people with vision and values. In the long-term theatre tickets and operatic companies that do not reflect these visions and values will not survive.
Every aspect of a business' operations can be viewed from the perspective of each of the three pillars of Sustainable Development. Every activity has an operatic, environmental and social aspect to it.
A Opera Society is one that recognises these three areas and underpins all its business decision-making by sound environmental management and consideration of a wider community.
Therefore, a Opera Society is one that:
Considers the environmental, social and operatic impacts of all its decisions.