Software Donation Is Music to Opera Australia's Ears
Opera Australia is Australia's national opera company, with locations both at the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre in Melbourne. Opera Australia is dedicated to enriching Australia's cultural life with exceptional opera and by presenting opera that excites audiences while sustaining and developing the art form. Opera Australia is Australia's largest and busiest performing arts organization, with more than 600 opera performances a year, including two opera seasons in Sydney and Melbourne, and free outdoor performances in Sydney's Domain and Melbourne's Myer Music Bowl. Oz Opera, the organization's touring arm, performs in schools, universities, and local community halls throughout the country. Given the geographic breath of Opera Australia's operations, mobile technology is essential to the organization's success.
With that in mind, Opera Australia built a terminal server environment utilizing Microsoft Windows Server software. The software was donated by Microsoft via TechSoup Global Network partner Connecting Up Australia and its DonorTec donation program. According to Opera Australia's IT manager, Grant Creswell, Microsoft Windows Server has allowed the organization to better manage user access rights and to give partners, suppliers, customers, and remote employees access to an increasing number of IT applications. The software has also provided a security-enhanced web platform and efficient storage management. Creswell also states that Opera Australia is considered to have a leading edge in the arts as far as technology is concerned, and is often asked how the organization made this possible.
