Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd

What Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd does

Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd (SBO) is a Melbourne-based, privately-held not-for-profit and registered cultural charity, founded in 2010 by Yorta Yorta soprano and composer Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO. It is Australia's only First Nations opera company, producing large-scale works sung in ancient Indigenous languages — most notably Pecan Summer (2010, Australia's first Indigenous opera) and Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace (2019) — and operating a vertically integrated talent pipeline from the Dhungala Children's Choir (est. 2008) through to the professional Ensemble Tutala (est. 2019). The company serves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander singers, composers, conductors, instrumentalists, and children in regional and remote communities, alongside Australian schools and the broader reconciliation-focused public.

SBO's product surface spans opera productions, a children's choir program, educational Song Books (Volumes 1 and 2, priced $65–$500), the forthcoming Cheeky Opera classroom kit (2026), and international projects such as Woven Song (embassy-touring repertoire). The underlying technology is primarily artistic and pedagogical — original compositions in Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, Boon Wurrung, Wadawurrung, Kamilaroi, Banjima, and other First Nations languages, delivered via co-presentations with major Australian orchestras (MSO, SSO, WASO, QSO, ASO) and venues including Sydney Opera House, Hamer Hall, Perth Concert Hall, and QPAC.

The business model is a hybrid of charitable and earned revenue: tax-deductible donations (SBO is listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations), government grants (Creative Victoria), unit-priced Song Book and Cheeky Opera sales, workshop and DCC Big Sing fees, and revenue-share from orchestral co-presentations. The company is led by a small team (1–10 employees) with founder-driven creative direction, and distributes through an owned e-commerce storefront, major venue box offices, and direct institutional sales to schools.

Name

Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd

Legal name

Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd

Website

https://shortblackopera.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd is a Melbourne-based, not-for-profit First Nations opera company that creates large-scale choral and operatic works sung in ancient Indigenous Australian languages, running a pipeline from children's choirs to professional ensembles and serving Indigenous artists, schools, and Australian orchestral audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts (Indigenous Opera & Choral)

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI), Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD)

Keywords

• Indigenous opera productions
• First Nations performing arts
• Children's choral programs
• Indigenous music education
• Cultural opera repertoire

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne, Victoria

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Tax-Deductible Contributions: SBO is listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations, making all donations tax-deductible. Donations support Indigenous-led arts practice and company operations.
2. Song Book Sales: Sale of Dhungala Choral Connection Song Books (Volumes 1 and 2), classroom sets, and school sets. Also includes Cheeky Opera packages. One-time product purchases at various price points ($65-$500).
3. Workshop and Event Fees: Fees for DCC Big Sing workshops ($60 per session), choral programs, and professional development days for teachers.
4. Performance Engagements: Dhungala Children's Choir and company performances at venues, festivals, and events. Collaborations with orchestras and arts organisations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Short Black Opera Company is a national not-for-profit First Nations performing arts organisation that produces Indigenous opera productions (including Pecan Summer and Eumeralla), operates the Dhungala Children's Choir for First Nations children, sells educational resources (Dhungala Choral Connection Song Books and Cheeky Opera kits), and runs community outreach programs (Short Black Opera for Kids) embedding ancient Indigenous languages into classical music compositions across Australia.

Product overview

Short Black Opera Company is a national not-for-profit First Nations performing arts organization offering a portfolio of opera productions, children's choir programs, educational resources, and community outreach initiatives. Core products include major opera productions (Pecan Summer, Eumeralla), the Dhungala Children's Choir program, and the Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book series (Volumes 1 and 2). Additional offerings include Cheeky Opera (educational kit for schools due 2026), Ensemble Dutala (Indigenous chamber ensemble), and the Woven Song Project (international tapestry-inspired compositions). The company also provides workshops, masterclasses, and choral events through its various programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dhungala Children's Choir: Peak choral performance group for First Nations children in Australia, established in 2008
• Ensemble Dutala
• Short Black Opera for Kids
• Woven Song
• Pecan Summer
• Cheeky Opera

Products and services

• Pecan Summer Australia's first Indigenous opera, written and composed by Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, based on the 1939 Cummeragunja walk-off. Premiered in 2010 and subsequently performed in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and the Sydney Opera House where the production won 9 Broadway World Awards.
• Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace A large-scale choral work composed by Deborah Cheetham Fraillon, sung entirely in the ancient dialects of the Gunditjmara people, combining a Requiem Mass structure with First Nations history and commemorating the Eumeralla War (1840-1863). Performed with major Australian orchestras.
• Dhungala Children's Choir Peak choral performance group for First Nations children in Australia. Performs at major venues and events around Australia, championing various Indigenous languages. The choir provides intensive classical vocal training and performance opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
• Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book Volume 1
• Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book Volume 2 Second volume of the Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book series featuring two, three, four part and unison songs with languages from Yorta Yorta, Boon Wurrung, Wadawurrung and Gadigal people, accompanied by First Nations artists' artwork. Sold at $75 per volume, with school sets available at $375.
• Ensemble Dutala Australia's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander chamber ensemble, consisting of 9 professional ATSI musicians. Emerged from the One Day In January project, a residency and scholarship program designed to increase opportunity, visibility, and status of First Nations orchestral musicians in Australia. Led by conductor and violist Aaron Wyatt (Noongar).
• Woven Song Project International collaboration with the Australian Tapestry Workshop featuring nine new compositions by Deborah Cheetham Fraillon inspired by tapestries from the Embassy Tapestry Collection. Performed at Australian embassies in Tokyo, Singapore, New Delhi, Washington DC, Paris, Rome, Dublin, Holy See, Beijing, and Jakarta.
• Cheeky Opera DIY opera production kit for primary school children based on the award-winning book 'Go Home, Cheeky Animals' by Dion Beasley and Johanna Bell. Includes music, libretto, vocal scores, piano arrangements, costume templates and a director's book with full score. Sold as a package at $500 (includes 30 vocal scores, costume/prop/set design guide).

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 Broadway World Awards for Pecan Summer Sydney Opera House production (2017)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• West Australian Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2021Co-presentation of Eumeralla at Perth Concert Hall (2021). Opera in the Gorge collaboration at Karijini Experience.
• Melbourne Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2019Co-presentation of Eumeralla world premiere at Hamer Hall (2019) and ongoing creative collaboration. SBO First Nations Creative Chair position established with MSO in 2021.
• Sydney Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUpcoming co-presentation of Eumeralla at Sydney Opera House with Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
• Victorian OperamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of Parrwang Lifts the Sky, reviewed positively by Limelight Magazine.
• Australian Tapestry WorkshopmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoven Song Project - collaboration on 10 tapestries inspiring 10 compositions for international performances at Australian embassies in Tokyo, Singapore, Washington DC, Paris, Rome, Dublin, Holy See, Beijing, and Jakarta.
• Melba Opera TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the Harold Blair Indigenous Opera Fellowship to support development of an Indigenous classical singer.
• The Boite Schools ChorusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual collaboration for exploring Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book with schools across Victoria.
• Garma FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnsemble Dutala performed live on Yolngu country at the 2024 Garma Festival.
• Queensland Performing Arts Centre / University of QueenslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEumeralla performance presented by UQ School of Music at QPAC (2019).
• Indigenous Languages AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for Dhungala Children's Choir and Dhungala Choral Connection Song Book development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BlakDance: National First Nations dance and performance organisation based in Melbourne. Comparable as a Blak-led NFP producing original contemporary works with a focus on emerging Indigenous artists, overlapping donor and audience segments with SBO.

Direct peers

• Bangarra Dance Theatre: Australia's leading Indigenous dance company. Comparable as a First Nations performing arts company with national tours, award-winning productions, and educational programming targeting Indigenous storytelling.
• Ilbijerri Theatre Company: Melbourne-based First Nations-led performing arts company producing original Indigenous theatre. Comparable as a Blak-led NFP performing arts organisation with overlapping community and donor base.
• Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company: Western Australia's leading Aboriginal theatre company. Comparable as a First Nations-led performing arts company producing original Indigenous works for Australian audiences.
• Australian Theatre for Young People: Sydney-based NFP producing theatre for and with young people, including First Nations programs. Comparable as a performing arts NFP focused on youth pathways, education resources, and original works for schools.
• Victorian Opera: Melbourne-based opera company that co-produced Parrwang Lifts the Sky with SBO. Comparable as an Australian opera producer staging contemporary and classical works with shared venue ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Opera Australia: Australia's largest opera company and the dominant incumbent in Australian opera. Comparable as the main producer/presenter of opera at Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne, sharing the same institutional buyer base as SBO.
• The Australian Ballet: Australia's flagship classical performing arts company. Comparable as a large-scale NFP producing original stage works and touring nationally, competing for the same major-venue audiences and government funding pools.

Others

• Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Melbourne-based flagship orchestra and SBO's closest orchestral partner (co-presentation of Eumeralla world premiere, First Nations Creative Chair). Comparable as a recurring co-production counterparty rather than direct competitor.
• Sydney Symphony Orchestra: Australia's leading orchestra and active co-presenter of Eumeralla at Sydney Opera House. Comparable as a strategic partner and shared customer for SBO's orchestral works and a recurring commissioning counterparty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ShortBlackOpera
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/short-black-opera-company-pty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Short Black Opera Company Pty Ltd