# Does making opera more available increase its popularity?



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Do cinemacasts make opera more popular? From the UK: "The investigation found that, after seeing an opera at the cinema, around 75% of participants reported feeling no different about attending a live production, with around 10% feeling less motivated. … It [also] revealed that around 80% of cinema opera attendees were more than 60 years old, which was slightly older than the average age of live opera-goers."

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2014...failing-boost-interest-art-form-survey-finds/


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

If you think of the classical concert conventions and all the attendant bugbears a lot of non-concertgoers seem to have about those conventions, multiply that by about 1000 for the bugbears surrounding the idea of attending a live opera production.

Add the fact the ultra-synthetic and dated mode of the classical music drama is utterly alien to those who are used to films from the 1940's and forward, and that equals mountainous hurdles for nOObs John and Jane doe to leap over.

I would guess there is a chance that of any new to the genre, about .003% would find themselves at all theatrically engaged, and the rest would find it utterly unbelievable.

In the U.S. it is known that even many college-educated people resist or downright do not care to deal with sub-titles (or super-titles) when they watch a film. This leaves maybe a handful of the more contemporary operas -- and likely the more old-garde tonal ones at that -- sung in the native language of the audience as a chance to draw people in.

That handful of archetypical 'beginners' operas still work on initiates: La Traviata, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly.

And, once again, the primary hurdle is simply explained: *"It is the price,* dummies.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Personally I found the "The Stage News" article rather misleading. The headline is "Opera screenings failing to boost interest in the art form, survey finds", but I would conclude the opposite after reading the actual survey.

85% of people attending a screening of opera did not feel more likely to attend a _live_ performance of opera. But 75% of those felt no different, 10% felt less likely, and 15% felt more likely. Though the margin is relatively small, that's a net positive in those expressing a greater interest in attending live performance.

Further 55% felt no different about attending a performance of opera in a _cinema_ . Only roughly 5% felt less likely and a whopping ~40% felt more likely.

The survey asked first time cinema attendees the two questions above.

Of first time attendees, ~20% felt no different about attending a performance of opera in a _cinema_, ~10% felt less likely, and ~70% felt more likely.

Of first time attendees, ~70% felt no different about attending a live performance, ~5% felt less likely, and ~25% felt more likely.

Overall, there seems to be a rather significant effect of increasing people's desire to watch opera (whether live or at the cinema). I'd say performances in the cinema boost interest in the art form.

Incidentally, I have been to one opera live. Since watching opera at home (Live at the MET and DVD), I've watched probably over 30 operas in the past 18 months or so. Watching at home has _greatly_ increased my desire to watch more opera.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I read the survey as relating to whether cinema screenings would increase interest in attending live performances (and it seemed doubtful that they would). With orchestral telecasts, cinema screening tickets are far cheaper than live seats. They were found locally here to lose money in the net and to empty seats at the far more profitable concert hall venue. As a result, the LA Phil canceled their telecast program entirely.

Most interesting in the article were the comments on ages...


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I think it was a pretty daft survey anyway. The question should have been asked is whether the people in the cinema would've gone to the opera house. The cinemas I went to to hear live relays were about 80% full. They were mainly people my age i.e. 60+. But there were also younger people there too. The reason we were in the cinema rather than the opera house is that: first the cinema is far more accessible as we lived 200 miles from London; Second there is far less expense in going to the cinema.
While our visit to Covent Garden would probably cost me around £200 all things considered the visit to the cinema cost me £15.
So that's the reason I go to the cinema rather than the opera house. But for the live broadcasts have picked up another customer because at least now I go to the cinema and mostly enjoy it.
One other problem I have with going to the opera house - it is very expensive and one is liable to see a silly daft production as we saw with the Royal Opera house Don Giovanni recently. If I had paid around £200 for a trip to see that production which had little to do with Mozart / da Ponte's conception I would've felt so annoyed that I would never have gone to see opera again.
As it is one can just have a good moan having seen the cinema production, as I did with a fellow sufferer on leaving the cinema. He said he would never go to Royal Opera house again after seeing a travesty of Tristan.
One way of increasing people's appreciation of opera would be for the producers to actually do what the composer asked them to.
A better note. During the recent Met broadcast of Cenerentola there were two young boys about 10 to 12 years old in front of me. I think they have got some free tickets. I wondered how they would affair in the production. At the end they were both smiling and saying how good it was!


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

PetrB said:


> And, once again, the primary hurdle is simply explained: *"It is the price,* dummies.


Are not tickets to rock and pop gigs in about the same price range?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

SiegendesLicht said:


> Are not tickets to rock and pop gigs in about the same price range?


My wife and I paid £35 a ticket to see Shakespeare at Stratford upon Avon. A comparable ticket to Covent Garden would have been £100. So there is the price factor built in. However there is also the fact that to go to New York would be even more expensive! Added to which as my wife does not like opera I am not going to make such a trip on my own! The cinema is a blessing!

On the point of pop concerts. Some people I know had teenage daughters who wanted to go to a one direction concert locally. One of the parents somewhat foolishly told his daughter to search the Internet for tickets and gave her access to his credit card. He found she had bought four tickets for £650! Apparently he was not pleased!


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Seems like the wrong questions to the wrong audience, as if they expected to find cinema audiences of curious 20-somethings.

Still, if 15% were more motivated to see a live performance, that feels fine to me. Given the state of opera finances generally, it's probably more important that they are motivated to see further cinema broadcasts, as this appears to be the near future.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

On one side, Opera is not for everyone. It's a complex art form, spanning more than four centuries, with an average duration of more than 2 hours (some, significantly more than 2 hours), usually sung in a foreign language, with subtitles, with a plot, no microphones,...

On the other side, Opera *is* for everyone. In the past, there was a significant barrier of class, and money. Today, you can watch hundreds, if not thousands, of operas in the Internet for free. And many versions of the more popular ones. Or you can go to the cinema (in Madrid, it costs between 15 and 20 Euros). Or, if you live in a city with an Opera House, you can go for the live thing. It's not that expensive. To put in perspective, there are tickets for Teatro Real starting at just 15 Euros, too. The average price for a nice ticket is between 40 and 80 Euros. The more expensive ones, go between 150 Euros and 200 Euros. It's cheaper than going to watch a football match at Santiago Bernabéu!.

So, today it's largely a matter of taste and personal preferences. Also, for some people Opera entered very early in our lives. But for other people, it's an acquired taste when they are in their 30s, their 40s, their 50s, or even later in life. That's normal, too. Not all new recruits for the art form need to be youngsters. In fact, probably Opera is recruiting its new audiences even more among the mature people, than among the young ones.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

I've only been to one cinemacast - to see _Les Troyens_ at a local cinema on a sunday afternoon. There were less than ten people there. I was by far the youngest (52). There was no social interaction between any of the audience, even at the breaks. The intervals were too long. I stayed awake all the time. I didn't eat popcorn or drink fizzy drinks whilst watching. Fortunately, the auditorium was so empty it was easy to move away from the snorer and the eaters. The coffee or tea was served in a paper cup (there was no Earl Grey or Lapsang). The sound quality was good (would be better at home), the screen was large and sharp. There was no applause at the end.

I'd rather be in my own living room, though.

As for travelling into a city, possibly staying overnight, putting up with a crowd to get in and out of the opera house .... hmmm? Back to the hermitage, I think and listen to CDs, I'm afraid until I can afford the fare to Milan, London, Paris, Naples, Amsterdam etc etc etc


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Schigolch should be voted 'Official Opera Development Officer for TC' - Madrid - warmth - affordable tickets - tapas - wine - Prado - Bernabéu ..... I'm looking, I'm looking! :tiphat:


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

Headphone Hermit said:


> As for travelling into a city, possibly staying overnight, putting up with a crowd to get in and out of the opera house .... hmmm? Back to the hermitage, I think and listen to CDs, I'm afraid until I can afford the fare to Milan, London, Paris, Naples, Amsterdam etc etc etc


I will do all that when I am sure that what I see on the stage is what the author wrote into the darn libretto, and not a twisted fantasy of some too-full-of-himself stage director!


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## perempe (Feb 27, 2014)

we travel about 5 hours to operas (back and forth). nothing comes close to a live performance!
in fact, our expenses for 2 (2 tickets + travel costs for 2) are lower if we attend a live performance compared to the single telecast ticket.

i know two older opera fans and they suggested to visit Vienna, and go vith cheap (4€) tickets for world class performances.

our friend attends MET broadcasts, but can not join us. (she joined us only for Tosca and Il trovatore.) she will attend a live performance of Cinderella (Prokofiev) in New York as she's visiting her daughter.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

SiegendesLicht said:


> Are not tickets to rock and pop gigs in about the same price range?


They can be, and young people fork that over for the privilege of hearing mega-amplified music in stadia where the only way you can see at all without the performer looking like sewing pins is via multi-screen projections. Of that same audience, many have not attended a live symphonic concert, let alone opera. They _might pay_ that same high price for a ticket to an opera, but you have to get them in the door at least once to the live experience for it to take in order to interest them to come back for more


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Rock (and pop) are decades old. Jerry Lee Lewis is 78, and Paul McCartney, 71. Many fans of rock and pop are also rather mature. 

Some theaters do try to attract young people. For instance, Teatro Real . There is a policy that any person younger than 31, can appear at the last minute and buy any ticket available, for just 10 Euros. Even seats with a nominal price of 200 Euros!.

Of course, I do think we need to educate our youngsters in music, and educate them better. At the school. But in terms of attracting audiences to Opera, I would invest more money and effort, to get older people on board. In my view, it just a matter of percentages. Opera will be always for a minority of people, anyway. But it's rather easier to interest mature people in the art form, than youngsters. And lo!, the young people that really are going to care for Opera, and there are always a few of them, will come almost by themselves. With very little effort from the management of the theaters, in this age of the Internet. 

I happen to know some young people, let's say still in their 20s, that are big fans of Opera. Except for very few of them that were introduced to the genre while still children by their parents, all the rest just got hooked by themselves.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

> Headphone Hermit: I've only been to one cinemacast - to see _Les Troyens_ at a local cinema on a sunday afternoon. There were less than ten people there. I was by far the youngest (52). There was no social interaction between any of the audience, even at the breaks.


That is_ so _pathetic. One of the joys of opera for me is talking with other people about it. I'll make the effort to talk to others about it when I go to it; for my sake rather than theirs. You never know what kind of people you'll meet; or if people are just dying to talk, but are too shy or insular or guarded to make the first move. If people don't want to talk, I'll certainly back off and respect their right to quietude. . . God I miss the days of Tower Records when you could talk with people in the aisles while shopping for cds.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Opera on recordings and film is the only opera many of us are likely to experience. This is mainly a question of cost, as well as travel to faraway destinations (which is itself largely a question of cost). But even if live opera were more affordable for me, I would hesitate to attend any production anywhere without learning as much about it as possible beforehand. There was a time, when I was a young Wagner enthusiast listening to recordings and summer broadcast relays from Bayreuth (hard to believe that local radio - WHYY in Philadelphia - even carried them in those golden days!), that I looked forward to growing up and being able to experience the magic first-hand. In the decades since, I have seen enough directorial horrors wreaked upon the works of our operatic heritage to say candidly that you couldn't pay me to attend a performance at Bayreuth.

Neophytes who know little about opera may have an advantage over old-timers in that they haven't yet developed standards and expectations, and seeing a good performance of _Meistersinger_ on film may persuade them to buy a ticket and take their chances the next time the Met puts it on. On me, however, it will have no such effect. For the cost of one stay in New York and one opera ticket I can buy a stack of CDs and DVDs of performances that respect the composers and give me pleasure for a lifetime.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

> Woodduck: On me, however, it will have no such effect. For the cost of one stay in New York and one opera ticket I can buy a stack of CDs and DVDs of performances that respect the composers and give me pleasure for a lifetime.


Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. . . Well you got me on that one, Duck. . . 'Opportunity costs,' that is to say:_ if _you have 'em.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Neophytes who know little about opera may have an advantage over old-timers in that they haven't yet developed standards and expectations,


or prejudices. Whilst feeling sure the next production will stink you might be missing an excellent new talent on stage.


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## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

It needs to be on youtube and what not.

It pissed me off that they took the ring cycle down for copyright reasons, the dvds are pricey for a poor student!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Woodduck said:


> Opera on recordings and film is the only opera many of us are likely to experience. This is mainly a question of cost, as well as travel to faraway destinations (which is itself largely a question of cost). But even if live opera were more affordable for me, I would hesitate to attend any production anywhere without learning as much about it as possible beforehand. There was a time, when I was a young Wagner enthusiast listening to recordings and summer broadcast relays from Bayreuth (hard to believe that local radio - WHYY in Philadelphia - even carried them in those golden days!), that I looked forward to growing up and being able to experience  the magic first-hand. In the decades since, I have seen enough directorial horrors wreaked upon the works of our operatic heritage to say candidly that you couldn't pay me to attend a performance at Bayreuth.
> 
> Neophytes who know little about opera may have an advantage over old-timers in that they haven't yet developed standards and expectations, and seeing a good performance of _Meistersinger_ on film may persuade them to buy a ticket and take their chances the next time the Met puts it on. On me, however, it will have no such effect. For the cost of one stay in New York and one opera ticket I can buy a stack of CDs and DVDs of performances that respect the composers and give me pleasure for a lifetime.


Just to note the next Met Mastersinger is being broadcast live 13th December.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

deggial said:


> or prejudices. Whilst feeling sure the next production will stink you might be missing an excellent new talent on stage.


Oh dear. And I try so hard to forget that there are sophisticated postmodern relativists to whom mention of "standards" immediately conjures up the word "prejudices"!

Does it come as a shock to you that even participants on this exclusive forum may be unwilling to blow a week's wages on the off chance that the Isolde singing her Liebestod straddled over a corpse wrapped in a bedsheet on top of a hospital gurney will be the next Birgit Nilsson?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

deggial said:


> or prejudices. Whilst feeling sure the next production will stink you might be missing an excellent new talent on stage.


When I heard the Met Falstaff was updated my heart sank. But it turned out to be brilliant as the producer's novel ideas were put into Verdi not the other way round. One thing about a cinema broadcast is that if it stinks - as did the ROH Don Giovanni - then you haven't wasted a fortune going to see it.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Woodduck said:


> Oh dear. And I try so hard to forget that there are sophisticated postmodern relativists to whom mention of "standards" immediately conjures up the word "prejudices"!
> 
> Does it come as a shock to you that even participants on this exclusive forum may be unwilling to blow a week's wages on the off chance that the Isolde singing her Liebestod straddled over a corpse wrapped in a bedsheet on top of a hospital gurney will be the next Birgit Nilsson?


It is certainly not prejudice to expect the producer to serve the composer rather than impose his own daft ideas on the opera. These productions that struggle every inch against what is clearly in the script annoy me so much I tend to not hear the singing too well.


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## perempe (Feb 27, 2014)

PetrB said:


> They can be, and young people fork that over for the privilege of hearing mega-amplified music in stadia where the only way you can see at all without the performer looking like sewing pins is via multi-screen projections. Of that same audience, many have not attended a live symphonic concert, let alone opera. They _might pay_ that same high price for a ticket to an opera, but you have to get them in the door at least once to the live experience for it to take in order to interest them to come back for more


100% agreed. after seeing an opera or a symphonic concert, i don't want to hear anything else.

ok, i want to buy Medeski Martin & Wood with Scofield tickets for november, but it's an exception after 30-40 operas and concerts.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

OP: Of course not. The trained opera voice is an acquired taste. Look how many folks can barely get by listening to the National Anthem, usually with trained singing voice, at US sporting events. I believe mainstream folks consider opera singers as "freaks" or worse.

What does availability have to do with it?

Remember my story of the gal I brought to a performance of Tosca, suggesting to me the performance could have been so much better if there wasn't all that annoying singing.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

hpowders said:


> OP: Of course not. The trained opera voice is an acquired taste. Look how many folks can barely get by listening to the National Anthem, usually with trained singing voice, at US sporting events. I believe mainstream folks consider opera singers as "freaks" or worse.
> 
> What does availability have to do with it?
> 
> Remember my story of the gal I brought to a performance of Tosca, suggesting to me the performance could have been so much better if there wasn't all that annoying singing.


I know numbers of people, my wife included, to whom singing rather than speaking a drama is a turn off. It's a personality thing not just a musical one. To enjoy opera one really has to suspend disbelief willingly and some people find that far more difficult than others.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

DavidA said:


> I know numbers of people, my wife included, to whom singing rather than speaking a drama is a turn off. It's a personality thing not just a musical one. To enjoy opera one really has to suspend disbelief willingly and some people find that far more difficult than others.


Yes, that's certainly true, but I also think mainstream folks find it boring, almost comical to listen to a trained operatic voice.
It's an acquired taste, just like their Bruce Springsteen blasting to break eardrums is an acquired taste.

There's plenty of opera on PBS in the US. The exposure is already there! They do all the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts free that one has to pay for at cinema theaters earlier in the year. Who watches it? The same folks who paid to see the performances.
The great unwashed simply turn the channel to "American Idol".


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

hpowders said:


> Yes, that's certainly true, but I also think mainstream folks find it boring, almost comical to listen to a trained operatic voice.
> It's an acquired taste, just like their Bruce Springsteen blasting to break eardrums is an acquired taste.
> 
> There's plenty of opera on PBS in the US. The exposure is already there! They do all the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts free that one has to pay for at cinema theaters earlier in the year. Who watches it? The same folks who paid to see the performances.
> The great unwashed simply turn the channel to "American Idol".


Could sure do with more opera on British TV. Last one was the lousy Don Giovanni from ROH. I recorded it but can't bear to watch it again as it was so awful!


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## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

schigolch said:


> I happen to know some young people, let's say still in their 20s, that are big fans of Opera. Except for very few of them that were introduced to the genre while still children by their parents, all the rest just got hooked by themselves.


Still it is necessary for anyone to discover opera to be exposed to it. And operas are also of different genres. Not all operas are for everyone. To give more people the opportunity to discover opera it is necessary with more exposure mainly in form of more operas on TV currently I have not seen an opera on TV for four months.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Headphone Hermit said:


> I've only been to one cinemacast - to see _Les Troyens_ at a local cinema on a sunday afternoon. There were less than ten people there. I was by far the youngest (52). There was no social interaction between any of the audience, even at the breaks. The intervals were too long. I stayed awake all the time. I didn't eat popcorn or drink fizzy drinks whilst watching. Fortunately, the auditorium was so empty it was easy to move away from the snorer and the eaters. The coffee or tea was served in a paper cup (there was no Earl Grey or Lapsang). The sound quality was good (would be better at home), the screen was large and sharp. There was no applause at the end.
> 
> I'd rather be in my own living room, though.


First time I saw opera in cinema was _Macbeth_ in 2011 in my home town. There were four other people in the cinema so atmosphere was zero. Next time was _Le Comte Ory_, the one where JDF's wife had just had the baby, which I saw in Berlin. (Was in Berlin anyway for opera). Much better experience as the cinema was full and I interacted with other people. Next was for _Les Troyens_ in my home town and there were 11 other people in our cinema. The sound was far too loud and once again atmosphere was zero.

I think I'd rather watch a DVD at home or a live stream on my PC than go to the cinema.



Headphone Hermit said:


> As for travelling into a city, possibly staying overnight, putting up with a crowd to get in and out of the opera house .... hmmm? Back to the hermitage, I think and listen to CDs, I'm afraid until I can afford the fare to Milan, London, Paris, Naples, Amsterdam etc etc etc


Seeing live opera is such a magical experience for me that I'd put up with any inconvenience to see it. I admit there's a bit of a crush at the end but I love ear-wigging to see what the others thought. Then there's the fun of waiting at the stage door and sharing opinion and gossip with other fans.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Over here, anyone can reserve a seat as soon as the tickets go on sale for 5€. Admittedly, they are at the side but what do you want for the price of a Big Mac.








The sides ranges from 5-15€ depending how high up you are. Or for 30€, you can sit the 2nd balcony. The stalls are 50-130€ depending how far back you are.

The point I'm trying to make is that the cinema tickets for opera are 30€. So I don't think that the cinema does anything except cater for those who are already opera lovers and want to see productions from la Scala etc.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Couac Addict said:


> Over here, anyone can reserve a seat as soon as the tickets go on sale for 5€. Admittedly, they are at the side but what do you want for the price of a Big Mac.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think you're right about the clientèle.

Opera in the cinema from ROH is £25 (€30) here. Don't know how much Met Live in HD is but it's not on in any cinemas near me so I'd have to stay overnight in a hotel. You can get a decent seat at ROH for £25 so it's just no contest.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Does it come as a shock to you that even participants on this exclusive forum may be unwilling to blow a week's wages on the off chance that the Isolde singing her Liebestod straddled over a corpse wrapped in a bedsheet on top of a hospital gurney will be the next Birgit Nilsson?


a week's ages every once in a while? it does come as a shock to me, yes.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Woodduck said:


> Neophytes who know little about opera may have an advantage over old-timers in that they haven't yet developed standards and expectations, and seeing a good performance of _[opera]_ on film may persuade them to buy a ticket and take their chances the next time the Met puts it on.


I'm a neophyte _and_ an old-timer so not sure where I fit in but I have standards and expectations 



Woodduck said:


> On me, however, it will have no such effect. For the cost of one stay in New York and one opera ticket I can buy a stack of CDs and DVDs of performances that respect the composers and give me pleasure for a lifetime.


I would rather have a night in New York and a ticket for the Met than a stack of CDs any time


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

DavidA said:


> When I heard the Met Falstaff was updated my heart sank. But it turned out to be brilliant as the producer's novel ideas were put into Verdi not the other way round


Was it the Robert Carsen?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

For me it's more a question of availability. There are just not the funds in NZ for opera - when our two regional companies merged into a national one, _Creative New Zealand_ took the opportunity to slash their grant even more (So NZ Opera had to cancel the only adventurous choice they have ever made, Billy Budd). This reflects a general lack of interest and knowledge among the population - as you might guess in this year's choice of repertoire: La Traviata, Don Giovanni and La Boheme, none of which interest me much.

So if I want to watch anything a bit different (The Nose, Prince Igor, La Fanciulla del West) on equipment better than my home computer with headphones and an amp, I simply have to go to the cinema. Tickets vary between NZ$20-34.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Headphone Hermit said:


> I've only been to one cinemacast - to see _Les Troyens_ at a local cinema on a sunday afternoon. There were less than ten people there. I was by far the youngest (52). There was no social interaction between any of the audience, even at the breaks. The intervals were too long. I stayed awake all the time. I didn't eat popcorn or drink fizzy drinks whilst watching. Fortunately, the auditorium was so empty it was easy to move away from the snorer and the eaters. The coffee or tea was served in a paper cup (there was no Earl Grey or Lapsang). The sound quality was good (would be better at home), the screen was large and sharp. There was no applause at the end.
> 
> I'd rather be in my own living room, though.
> 
> As for travelling into a city, possibly staying overnight, putting up with a crowd to get in and out of the opera house .... hmmm? Back to the hermitage, I think and listen to CDs, I'm afraid until I can afford the fare to Milan, London, Paris, Naples, Amsterdam etc etc etc


Yeah. That's really pathetic! I used to buy my MET Opera cinemacast tickets online in advance, as if these were Madonna concerts! After a few experiences, I realized I could just buy my ticket at the box office a few minutes before showtime as if it was a movie.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I think cinemacasts do help make opera more popular. Attending a live performance in house can be intimidating; going to the cinema is not.

Cinemacasts (and live webstreams) allow opera to be discussed on a global scale; I will be able to discuss the Guillaume Tell from Bayerische Staatsoper with people around the world as well as those who saw the production in Munich. My parents in Arizona can go to the theater to see an opera I see at the Met in NYC. These discussions can keep opera-lovers engaged.

I started to get into opera 15-20 years ago when I lived in Arizona but it was difficult to support that habit. I only saw scattered Arizona Opera productions because I didn't realize how far opera could go, how much it could do. I listened to CDs and a few audio-broadcasts and saw some DVDs but the cinema is designed for concentrated viewing, with few distractions. Opera houses are better of course (less popcorn!) I think cinemas are the next best thing. 

If the cinemacasts and live webstreams available now were around circa 2000 I believe I would have been drawn into opera much sooner and as a result been more motivated to see live opera in my hometown and travel to see more.


Not everyone is going to like opera. Not everyone is going to get into live opera. But putting someone in a dark theater with nothing to concentrate on other than an opera is the best way to give someone a real chance to see what they think about the art form.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mountmccabe said:


> I think cinemacasts do help make opera more popular. Attending a live performance in house can be intimidating; going to the cinema is not.
> 
> Cinemacasts (and live webstreams) allow opera to be discussed on a global scale; I will be able to discuss the Guillaume Tell from Bayerische Staatsoper with people around the world as well as those who saw the production in Munich. My parents in Arizona can go to the theater to see an opera I see at the Met in NYC. These discussions can keep opera-lovers engaged.
> 
> ...


:tiphat:

You make some excellent points mountmccabe!


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## Amara (Jan 12, 2012)

In Met Live in HD's defense, it worked at converting me into an opera fan at the age of 25. The first movie theater broadcast I saw was _Satyagraha_, and I've attended almost all of them since. It's also gotten me to attend live opera, although they are rarely performed in my city. But I've attended three live performances here, and I would love to visit the Met if I get a chance to go to NY. I also watch a lot of opera on DVD.

Opera just plain isn't for everyone, though. I took my older sister to see the Live in HD _Un Ballo in Maschera_, hoping to make her an opera fan, but she doesn't have any interest in seeing more. But at least the movie theater performances make opera accessible to young people, even if they don't often take up the opportunity to see it. I really would not have had the opportunity to become an opera fan without the Met broadcasts, and now I'll be an opera fan for life.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

SiegendesLicht said:


> Are not tickets to rock and pop gigs in about the same price range?


Sometimes pop concerts are about the same, other times much more depending on the performers and the venue.


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## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Opera nowadays is more avaliable than ever (think live streaming, cinema projection, youtube, digital recording of almost forgotten operas which can be listened with a click).
The problem is that the public interest in Opera and the cultural relevancy diminished from ,say, one hundred years ago (at least that's my impression).
Often younger listeners just don't know that may like Opera and Had no one that can simply introduce them to it.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

PetrB said:


> And, once again, the primary hurdle is simply explained: *"It is the price,* dummies.





SiegendesLicht said:


> Are not tickets to rock and pop gigs in about the same price range?


Some! For the Beyoncé/Jay-Z concert down the street from me tickets ranged from $50 to $320 (after fees).

Looking at tickets for some operas at the Met next season prices were $25 to $475 each (before fees, and at this point you are required to purchase at least a 3-opera mini-series). Prices for La Traviata at San Francisco Opera for an upcoming performance were $29 to $359 each (before fees). Prices for a 3-opera mini-series at Arizona Opera are $26 to $122 (counting a discount for purchasing the series; single tickets not yet available).

But the Beyoncé/Jay-Z concert is one of the most expensive tours out there this summer. It is a small portion of the population that will see more than one or two such shows a year, just like it is a small portion that will see an opera or two (or more!) per year. There are far more shows in the price range of tickets to Arizona opera, but I think it is still fair to consider these to be expensive tickets.

Or, at least, in each case, most tickets are expensive. The best/good seats are expensive, though there are some options far from the stage and/or with weird sight lines that are more reasonable.

Around a decade ago I used to go to 50+ rock concerts a year in the Phoenix area and almost none of them were over $50. The total cost might well have been under $1,000 most tickets were $8-$15. If the prices doubled I would have had to cut my attendance way back (and certainly skipped shows I wanted to see because they were in that $50+ range).

Here in NYC there are some boutique opera companies where all tickets are $20 to $60, but I believe these are by and large going to attract those who are already opera fanatics that want to see as much live opera as possible (or want to see the specific rare operas these companies put on). But this is New York. There's very little of this in the United States outside of NYC.


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## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

Which is why I'm glad that there are options such as Live in HD transmissions and free webcasts.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

I wouldn't go to a Beyoncé/Jay-Z concert even if they paid me. Life is too short and my eardrums too valuable to waste on such crud... no offence to their fans. Tee-hee!


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Lope de Aguirre said:


> I wouldn't go to a Beyoncé/Jay-Z concert even if they paid me. Life is too short and my eardrums too valuable to waste on such crud... no offence to their fans. Tee-hee!


Yes, don't go there - if you look *anything* like your avatar, you'd be arrested for improper thoughts in the auditorium :lol:


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Headphone Hermit said:


> Yes, don't go there - if you look *anything* like your avatar, you'd be arrested for improper thoughts in the auditorium :lol:


You crazy Hermit, I am beautiful! This is me at a recent court appearance...


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Ooooh Lope, Darling, I never said you weren't beautiful, I just warned you not to frighten the young people at the concert


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