For the first time in 22 years, Cincinnati Opera will post a deficit for the fiscal year that ended last month. The company fell short by nearly $300,000, Bob Olson, president of the opera board, said Monday.
The principal reason was a drop in single ticket sales and, to a lesser extent, he said, a fundaising shortfall. The operating budget this year was $6.2 million.
"Finally the opera has experienced what other organizations have experienced, which is that the economy is having an impact on discretionary income and people's willingness to spend a lot of money for a big night out," Olson said.
In addition, the company said that the loss of parking because of construction in Washington Park may have played a role in fewer people coming to see opera this year.
"The thing that we heard in our box office was about the parking situation," said Patricia Beggs, the opera's general director and CEO. "There was a perception that parking was difficult. We did hear that a number of times."
Attendance for the season's nine performances of four operas - Verdi's "Rigoletto," a new production of John Adams' "A Flowering Tree," Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," and Mozart's "The Magic Flute" - was 22,675, about 6 percent below the company's goal of 24,000. Ticket revenue of $1.36 million was 10 percent lower than expected and the lowest of the last five seasons.
Many factors are challenging American opera companies, from the economy - which affects ticket sales, contributions and higher production costs - to the way people get their entertainment. In the past decade, as fewer people commit to subscriptions, arts organizations have become more dependent upon single-ticket sales to reach attendance and income goals.
Cincinnati Opera has set three productions for its 2012 season: A double bill of "Pagliacci" and "Gianni Schicchi (June 14 and 16); "Porgy and Bess" (June 28, 30, July 6 and 8); and "La Traviata" (July 25, 27 and 29).
Beggs said that the company is trying to understand "what's the new reality for us."
"We're working hard on a budget for next year. We're not there yet, but we will get there," Olson said.
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment