PATRICK Maxwell observes that classical music “is under threat”, partly because of government cuts and a lack of general public interest . It’s certainly true that, in the UK, classical music and opera are not generally popular, often branded as highbrow and elitist and, perhaps as a result, deprived of state support.this lamentable state of affairs pertains only to the UK. In Berlin, for example, the total audience in 2023 for the Berlin Philharmonic was 241,770, with a seat occupancy of 86.4%.
In 1983, I was fortunate enough to attend a double production of Stravinsky’s Firebird and Petrushka ballets at the Palace of Congresses in the Kremlin. The audience comprised thousands, due in part to the extremely low ticket prices. They have been elected, nay, re-elected on promises that they would speak up on the issues that concern people in Dumfries and Galloway yet all they ever seem to do is criticise the Scottish Government while failing abysmally to offer positive or constructive suggestions as to what their masters are going to do to improve matters.Remember how they have overseen the transfer of jobs and businesses to other parts of this so-called United Kingdom.
We need a better form of democracy. One in which real people, with real needs, are given the opportunity to influence matters and not have their views shunted down some sideline to be forgotten. Representatives should represent – and not forget who put them there.We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories.