See opera in Italy for 2 Euros
mainFrom the Italian news agency, ANSA:
Young people between 18 and 25 will be able to go to La Scala for two euros starting with the next season at the iconic Milanese opera house, Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli said Tuesday.
The minister made the announcement after meeting with La Scala Superintendent Alexander Pereira. ‘It’s an initiative aimed at the new generations who often consider culture with scepticism or because they experience malaise, culture is not a solution but it can help,’ Bonisoli said.
The plan has been proposed to Italy’s other 14 opera foundations and they have all accepted, he said.
In other reports, La Scala said it would hold 100 seats for young people at 2 Euros for 15 opera nights, 7 ballet.
A terrific idea. Reminiscent of when you could get into the Academy of Music in Phialdelphia for $2 (or a similarly low price back then)……………..
Let us pause and really think if this sends the right message about the value of culture, or if this is really the right solution.
Is it that kids really can’t afford it? Or giving it away is not going to enhance its value?
My son, whose only source of money is his allowance, does not hesitate to spend hundreds every time Apple rolls out its latest product, or pay hundreds for his 4G connection with music live streaming, or pay hundreds for video game god-knows-what, and can sit for hours in his room online….
Is it really that he can’t afford an opera ticket and has no time to go out?
Wow! How much pocket money does your son get?
Good point Robert!
I wonder if ANON has considered adoption because I know one or two candidates!
Wonder how the country can actually afford it!
What a waste on the iphone zombie generation.
Divide your top price 500 euro ticket among 250 musicians, singers, stagehand, technicians, production team. They get 2 euros each for 3 hours of work (forget about rehearsal).
Now divide 2 euros among them, they get 0.008 euros or a fraction of 1 cent per person for 3 hours of work.
This is the lesson we are teaching young people. All this collective talent is worth 2 euros.
Might work in America like that but out of all of the countries of Europe, and including Britain and Ireland, it just doesn’t work like that in Italy!
Artists are deeply respected when it is acknowledged that their work transcends the marketplace and that they should be funded by and for the people through their government as part of what the character and identity of a nation.
I grew up in a house where music was a staple, where I could hum and even sing many Puccini and a few Verdi arias by the time I was 5, where I took piano and excelled, in a town where there was no opera company. I saw a couple on TV — which is one of the reasons, I fear, that I have never been devoted to The Magic Flute, and The Flying Dutchman is my least favourite Wagner. But when I turned up at my university newspaper, I was dispatched to cover the opera company (it was a major one). It was love at first sight and sound. I still remember all of those operas — I could not get enough of them.
I wish I had had the equivalent of 2 euro tickets thereafter, as I had to cherry-pick pretty closely what I went to, but I still filled my university years with opera and became a subscriber when I left. I know classical music was around me all my life, but so was pop — I loved the Beatles and all those English invasion groups when I was a teen and love much of that music still, but I never moved into 70s music, hard rock or anything that was following, so I suppose I was more susceptible than many., But good postering on the campuses should attract a few, and Italians, whatever they do as teens, are still disposed to good music, I’ll bet they have some takers.
And if they get some like me, who are just entranced, the investment will pay off.
I’m Italian and I love opera. Still, I’m not sure about this initiative and the fact that it’s reserved to young people only.
First of all, in many opera theatres standing places are already quite cheap, and someone wanting to see an opera already has an affordable way to do it. Standing for a few hours shouldn’t really be a problem from someone aged 18-25.
Also, in many Italian opera theatres there are already big discounts for tickets for young people exactly in that age range (University students), so I don’t see why making it even more accessible would make any difference.
I’m not generally against an initiative like this, but considering the price gap it would introduce between paying customers and privileged people targeted by it, what about people that would really want to go to the theatre and simply cannot afford it? Is it fair towards them? Major venues like La Scala are quite unaffordable for most people.