Just before this debate gets a little out of hand; it is probably time for a little perspective.

No, I am not talking about the theatrics going on at the cricket – I am talking about those select few who are calling Fergus Linehan’s program for the Sydney Festival a ‘disappointment’.

The question has to be asked – a disappointment for whom? After three days, it certainly hasn’t been a disappointment for the 200,000 strong crowd who braved the weather at the opening night party on Saturday. It certainly wasn’t a disappointment for those that attended the three works of Nacho Duato at the Lyric on Sunday night. And it certainly wasn’t a disappointment to those who danced in the aisles of the State Theatre to Brian Wilson last night.

On occasion, especially in the arts, you find some media commentators trying to create news where there just isn’t any. This is slowly happening this year once again, as some journalists try to stoke the flames of contention.

In Monday’s The Australian, Matthew Westwood remarked that this year’s festival “lacks balance and is a disappointment to some”. Westwood believes that theatre and the visual arts “has only a small presence”. “More troubling,” he says, “is the total absence of classical music”.

Herald Sun writer Chris Boyd even goes as far as saying that Linehan’s 2008 program is “seriously lacking in good judgement and good taste”.

Seriously.

Ironically, similar debates occurred late last year between media commentators in Melbourne about the Melbourne International Arts Festival. On one side, you had The Age’s Robin Usher calling for more classical programming, and on the other side, Alison Croggon, a reviewer for The Australian, was defending Artistic Director Kirsty Edmunds’ contemporary style.

Now we have the bizarre situation in Sydney, only a few months later, with some in the media suggesting that this year’s festival is too “popular”. What is it with festival directors and the arts media? Maybe it was during the infamous resignation of Peter Sellars from the Adelaide Festival in 2002 that the media really got its first whiff of the politicking.

And besides, since when was the arts the domain of those few who can’t be bothered to get their fill from the concert halls of Vienna and Paris?

In fact, if you think about it, Sydney has a year round program in the classical repertoire. If it isn’t the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, or the Australian Chamber Orchestra, or Opera Australia, it’s some promoter who tours out the Paris Opera Ballet Company (as they did last year).

The visual arts is a case in point but are well catered for with the Biennale and theatre has had a good run for its money over the previous two years.

This year it’s time to take in some great music, exciting new dance, great bands, a variety of beautiful theatre and circus and have a great fiesta while we are at it. And if we have to give it the name ‘popular’ – then bring it on.

Nicholas Pickard is running the Daily Telegraph’s Sydney Festival blog live from sites around the city each night until January 26.