Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Lowest-price tickets to performances by the Pittsburgh Opera have been reduced to $10 for the coming season, a 37.5 percent reduction in prices from the 2008-09 year.
General director Christopher Hahn says the organization is 'working very hard to continue to produce opera of the highest standard in the current economic climate.'"
3 comments:
Although this article brings to mind the financial difficulties theatres are experiencing along with the rest of the world in the current economic climate, I have to applaud the Opera for having the courage to drop their ticket prices to a price that will draw more audience interest. The theatre with which I interned this summer not only maintained their ticket prices from the previous season, but raised their subscription rate from last year! In my opinion, it was an obnoxious move that alienated their biggest supporters and discouraged previously casual audience members from subscribing. In a time when everyone is hurting economically, if the production can cut a few dollars and thereby allow the prices to be a little lower for audiences, it is not only appropriate, but respectful to the people who support and sustain our theatre companies.
I do not understans why a recession should make a difference it ticket prices. I do understand that in these hard times people need an escape and they need it to be accessible. However, in general theatre prices are competely out of most people's budget. It seems to mean that the Pittsburgh Opera is merely trying to boost their own sales in hard times and do not actually care about a person's entertainment escapism. If they did, we'd have a consistantly steady low ticket range option to open up the market to another audience.
I always applaud any performance art for cheap accessible ticket prices. Theatre/opera gets a stigma for being a luxury commodity that many can't afford, including us college students. Also, the idea of trying to include the opera audience into a "downtown nightspot" shows an effort to attract folks whose nights don't end at the opera.
Post a Comment