From: Margaret Harrison
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Opera/Classical music too expensive?
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Jessica wrote:

> 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.

I don't agree with this statement, and I go to a lot of opera or concerts. Yes, the
top-priced seats at the first-rate houses are over $100. But at the Metropolitan Opera,
the Family Circle seats are in the $25-30 range. It's far from the stage, but it's the
best sound in the house. The opera houses also have very inexpensive standing room at low
prices (I think the Washington opera standing room is $20).

And smaller companies charge much less. Such as the New York City Opera, Wolf Trap Opera
(top price less than $50, lawn seats $15), etc., etc.

> > Someone asked earlier if operas and classical concerts might be more
> expensive to produce than pop concerts? I dunno about that. I doubt it.
> And, to add fuel, I'll throw in Broadway, where $50 - 75 would buy you the
> best seat in the house for just about any show (not counting from scalpers)
> and some of those shows are very expensive to produce.

Well, my inflammatory, opera-biased-but-grew-up-with-musical-theater-opinion, the Broadway
ticket price is usually* the biggest rip-off around, given the much higher-quality singing
and music and lack of electronic amplification you get at the opera. I hardly ever go to
Broadway shows any more for that reason, and this from someone who made special trips to
NY City from the early 70's through the mid-80's to see the latest Broadway musicals.

Peggy

*personal exceptions which probably support my feeling are recent productions of Chicago,
Guys and Dolls, and Crazy For You.

--
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh-at-ix.netcom.com