West Australian Ballet has defended its decision to use recorded music for its upcoming Adelaide season of Dracula, following mounting criticism from the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) and orchestral musicians across Australia and New Zealand.

More than 500 musicians have backed a union motion calling on the company to engage live players for six performances at the Adelaide Festival Centre in April, arguing the move risks undermining both artistic standards and employment in the sector.

MEAA Musicians Director Paul Davies said the decision reflected “an emerging trend of performance arts companies devaluing live music, driven by cost-cutting”.

Dracula: Jurgen Rahimi and Nikki-Blain. Photo © Hypnosis Creative/ Mauro Palmieri

“As the union for Australia’s media and creative workers, which includes musicians, MEAA urges the WA Ballet to immediately reverse its decision,” Davies said. “It disrespects the audience by diminishing their experience, and at the same time it compromises dancers’ ability to practise their art with creativity and integrity and denies musicians the dignity of work.”

Davies added that publicly funded organisations had an obligation to support jobs in the sector. “When organisations rely on taxpayer dollars to operate, as the WA Ballet does, it’s only fair to expect them to provide meaningful employment for real people, rather than seeking ways to cut corners and undermine the workforce – musicians must not be seen as optional extras.”

In response, West Australian Ballet said claims it does not support live music were “simply wrong”, pointing to its long-standing relationship with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and ongoing collaborations with other ensembles.

“Live music is central to what we do, and we have worked closely with WASO for decades — a strong partnership that continues today,” the company said in a statement. It also noted that it self-funds live orchestral performances for its Christmas season in partnership with the West Australian Philharmonic Orchestra.

The company said the Adelaide performances form part of a short, four-day trial tour — its first return to the city in more than a decade – aimed at testing the viability of interstate touring.

“This initial tour is proceeding without government touring funding. At this stage, the tour cannot sustain the cost of engaging an orchestra,” the statement said.

West Australian Ballet added that using recorded music for touring was a “well-established practice” and that the production would feature a high-quality recording of Wojciech Kilar’s score, performed by WASO musicians under conductor Jessica Gethin, who were paid for the recording and receive ongoing royalties.

“Our goal is to return regularly and, when we do, to work with live musicians,” the company said. “Our priority right now is ensuring this tour can go ahead – so that Adelaide audiences do not miss the opportunity to experience this acclaimed production.”

West Australian Ballet presents Dracula at Adelaide Festival Centre, 17-22 April.