Securing the future

About the Opera Australia Capital Fund

The Opera Australia Capital Fund was established in 2000 to build financial reserves to help secure the future of Opera Australia for generations to come.

Donations and bequests to the Opera Australia Capital Fund are invested securely to build a capital reserve, with the income directed to Opera Australia as annual grants. These grants ($1m in 2021) assist in cushioning Opera Australia against the financial impact of economic and box office fluctuations and enable it to pursue artistic excellence and expanding community programs.

The Capital Fund’s Board is committed to the principal objectives on which it was founded:

  • to raise and invest a capital fund
  • to make annual grants to Opera Australia
  • to make special purpose grants in exceptional circumstances

Thanks to the generosity of our loyal supporters, the Opera Australia Capital Fund is providing security in today’s challenging times, helping to safeguard the long-term financial viability of our national opera company.

Now more than ever, it is crucial that the Capital Fund continues to grow and we invite you to add your support. You can make a donation now, or you can arrange to leave a gift in your Will.

To find out more about the role you can play in the future of Opera Australia, please call or email for a conversation in confidence.

Donations to the Opera Australia Capital Fund are tax deductible and a receipt will be issued. Donors of at least $1,000 are acknowledged in Opera Australia’s annual report and on this website.

Contact Us

Nicholas Selman
General Manager
Opera Australia Capital Fund
+61 2 9318 8305
nicholas.selman@opera.org.au

Neroli Hobbins OAM
Manager, Council of Governors
Opera Australia Capital Fund
+61 2 9318 8386
neroli.hobbins@opera.org.au

Make a donation

$

Governance

The Opera Australia Capital Fund is a separate entity to Opera Australia with its own Board of Directors. The Directors donate their time and expertise to ensure that the management of the Fund remains aligned with its original charter.

Philip Bacon AO (Chairman)
Fiona Allan
David Armstrong
Shaun Kenny
The Hon Justice François Kunc
Roslyn Packer AC
Tania Seary
Rod Sims AO

 

Our Supporters

Council of Governors
The Council of Governors comprises the Opera Australia Capital Fund’s Board of Directors, plus individuals who have either contributed a significant donation or pledged a specific bequest to the Opera Australia Capital Fund. It provides the Fund with the opportunity to acknowledge formally those supporters who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to its goals.

Members meet at an annual dinner during which the Chief Executive Officer of Opera Australia and the Chairman of the Capital Fund give a briefing on the state of the company and report on the progress of the Fund. Members of the Council are also invited to fundraising events throughout the year including private recitals, exclusive receptions and other bespoke activities.

Opera Australia artists at a Capital Fund event in London
A private dinner in Sydney in support of the Opera Australia Capital Fund

There are two levels of patronage within the Council of Governors:

A Community of Supporters

In addition to the support from our Council of Governors, the corpus of the Opera Australia Capital Fund continues to grow thanks to the generosity of many valued individuals, including these donors who have contributed between $1,000 and $150,000.