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...