Opera companies are finding ways to grow their audience by offering student tickets and trying to attract young adults to their performances.
Ticket prices can be a real deterrent to actually going to see an opera. As production costs go up, so do ticket prices. With this, coupled with an aging audience, opera companies are challenged to grow their audience while also trying to attract a younger audience that will sustain them into the next generation. I have given this much thought while beginning to put together a new and useful opera company directory.
In doing my research for the directory, a couple of patterns have emerged, which make me very excited about the future of opera. Many of the opera companies are offering very inexpensive, if not free, tickets to dress rehearsals. I believe this is an attempt to introduce classical music to our youth. In an age, where many school districts are cutting arts education budgets, I find that it is vitally important that the arts organizations in the community reach out to enrich our communities. There are also groups being formed that encourage young professionals to attend more opera. Perhaps, by making opera “cool social event” to the 20 and 30-something crowd, they will gain an appreciation for the art, and in doing so will be more apt to take their children to see a show down the road.
I would invite you to take a look at how you can go to the opera for cheap, and perhaps grab a kid and go. You never know, he or she might actually like it!
