Russians complain that opera and ballet are becoming unaffordable

At ticket prices of 2,000 to 18,000 rubles ($28-250), many Russians are forsaking a longheld family tradition and staying home over Christmas and New Year.

Here’s one testimony from Novosibirsk:
‘!n October-November 2022 I went to the NOVAT website to buy a ticket.

‘Imagine my surprise when I discovered that “our” tickets cost five thousand rubles each. At first I was shocked, then outraged. It’s not like I don’t have ten thousand. They, thank God, are. But I can’t waste my monthly food budget on keeping up the New Year’s tradition. I can’t afford it. The importance of bodily food over the spiritual prevails. The eldest daughter, already a teenager, although she was looking forward to this event, quickly entered the position. But before the youngest it was very embarrassing to explain…’