In a city that endured 262 days of lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreaks, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was impacted harder in 2021 than all other Australian state orchestras, forced to cancel 77 of 142 planned mainstage performances.

Managing Director Sophie Galaise describes the year as “very, very difficult”, focused on “trying to survive” even while creating new digital opportunities.

Sophie Galaise

Sophie Galaise. Photo courtesy of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

On paper, the MSO’s 2021 surplus of $2.488 million for the year ended December 31 looks healthier than the $1.536 million surplus for 2020 – but that result was largely due to special federal and state COVID support and philanthropy.

The MSO’s 2021 operating surplus was just $863,149 compared to $1.14 million in 2020, when the orchestra made the decision to “hibernate” its musicians due to the impact of the pandemic.

Ticket revenue in 2019 was more than $14 million but nosedived to $2.9 million in 2020. In 2021, it rose to $3.7 million – better than 2020, but still a long way behind pre-pandemic sales.

“We have been in the city that has had the longest lockdown in the world,” Galaise...