To: vocalist
Subject: Re: Opera/Classical music too expensive?
Date sent: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 16:05:49 PST
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

>From: Jessica

>Yes - exactly - 75$ would get you a great seat to most any rock concert or
>sporting event. $75 dollars would get a nearly nosebleed seat at the opera
>or a classical concert.
>
Opera is a world
>amongst itself in ticket prices and, in my humble opinion, would do itself
>well to lower the prices so they are more in line with what the masses are
>willing to pay for other forms of cultural entertainment.
>
>$.02
>Jessica
>

Maybe you need to shop around more. I paid $52 (including credit card fee)
for a good seat at opening night for "The Tale of the Nutcracker" at Opera
San Jose. Ditto for an orchestra seat at Festival Opera in Walnut Creek,
CA. Bay Shore Lyric Opera charges $25-$30 for all seats (they perform in a
small converted movie theater), but charged only $5 for children attending
"Hansel and Gretel."

It's been a while since I've attended the San Jose Symphony, but I remember
paying $25-30 to sit in the balcony. Heard a WONDERFUL concert by the
Albany Consort (early-music group) at my church for $15 ($12 students). And
the $105 charged for nosebleed seats to hear the 3 Tenors at the Shark Tank
garnered howls of protest and at least two letters in the newspaper, one
from our distinguished Kappellmeister. (He later remarked that he had paid
only $35 to see Jose Carreras alone. I pointed out that NATURALLY it would
cost $105 to see all three.) ;-)

AND.... last I heard, nosebleed rush seats at the ****Philadelphia
Orchestra***** were $5. That's cheaper than a movie.

Elizabeth Finkler
mightymezzo-at-hotmail.com

"An enemy can partially ruin a man, but it takes a well-meaning and
injudicious friend to really finish the job and make it perfect." --Mark
Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson"

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