The West Australian Opera has announced it will not program the opera Carmen in the next two years, after it secured $400,000 in sponsorship from Healthway, because the story features smoking.

The 1875 work by Georges Bizet is one of the world's most popular operas and the heroine, Carmen, works in a Spanish cigarette factory.

Carolyn Chard, General Manager of the WA Opera, said the company made the decision not to program the opera after it secured the two-year deal with Healthway, the state government body that sponsors arts and community organisations to promote health messages.

"Carmen is an opera that is actually set in a tobacco factory, so that does present some difficulties if you're promoting non-smoking and healthy work environments," Ms Chard told 720 ABC Perth.

"I think we were very respectful of the partnership and forward-thinking about recognising it would be in direct conflict with the aims of the Heathway support.

"I think sponsorship is so vitally important to arts companies and this is significant support and you need to deliver benefits," she said.

Decision is not censorship

Chair of Healthway Rosanna Capolingua said the board had not asked the company not to program the work but it is delighted they have taken the decision.

"It was their choice and I think it's great that have chosen not to run Carmen and tell everyone about it," Dr Capolingua told Geoff Hutchison.

"They have used the fact that they are not running it to make a healthy stand, and kudos to them for that."

Dr Capolingua said Healthway did not censor art, but said smoking was glamorised when it featured in entertainment.

"As far as Heathway is concerned, it is taxpayers' dollars and we have to use it to protect and promote the health of Western Australians."

The decision drew a mixed response from the 720 ABC Perth listeners.

Melanie: Would the state government cut funding to a performance of Hamlet because it shows a mentally ill person in an unfavourable light? Or cut funding to MacBeth because of the homicides?

Jan: Well done WA opera! You've never had so much publicity!

Micky: Carmen dies in tobacco factory. Great health message.

David: The decision by the WA Opera is bizarre and extraordinary from an arts organisation where freedom of artistic expression is paramount. It is a deeply concerning day for our arts community when sponsors can dictate performance policy in such a way. This decision sets a very unfortunate and dangerous precedent.

Carmen 'one of the great operas'

ABC Classic FM Presenter Philip Sametz said it was a disappointing decision.

"The thing that would sadden me is that if you were an opera lover and you wanted to take someone to see an opera, the very best introduction might be Carmen," he told 720 ABC Perth.

"The health of a society is important too and that's one of the things that arts and culture do for any community."

Mr Sametz said many operas featured inappropriate, immoral and violent behaviour.

"In Wagner's ring cycle, Siegmund falls in love with his sister. We're not talking about an art form that takes necessarily the high moral ground.

"I would like to think that the sponsor and the company could come to some sort of reconciliation.

"Carmen is a masterpiece and not a piece of art that I think should be censored or removed."

Carolyn Chard said the company intended to program Carmen at some time in the next five years after the sponsorship from Healthway ended.

"Carmen is one of the mainstays of the canon of opera repertoire. We perform it very regularly, roughly every five years, and it is a work that we will certainly do again."