Drama, opera, ballet, jazz, pop and symphony music – none of these performing pleasures have desisted in Sakartvelo from being nationally accepted and venerated forms of entertainment. Georgians love to both perform and to enjoy others performing. I remember as a kid I had a season ticket for our famous opera-house, whose pits, stalls and balconies witnessed the first opera season opening as early as 1851. History has it that the tickets were tolerably accessible, especially in soviet times. But things have dramatically changed since. Blame it on inflation if you wish, or the universal jump in prices on everything in general, but theater ticket prices have gone from nadir to zenith in Georgia, hurting the fervid theater-goers in serious measure.
In Tbilisi, experiencing wonder and satisfying your curiosity now comes at a cost nearly identical to off-Broadway ticket prices. Yet, amazingly, the houses are sold out months in advance. Does this mean that our average theater buff is rich enough to afford the runaway prices? The answer is a firm no! Then, how to explain the discrepancy? Easy! The desire to be there is so powerful that no poverty can keep us from attending what we desire to attend. No way to miss the chance even if one is compelled to borrow cash from a neighbor to purchase the cherished patronship.
To our greatest chagrin, the overly high ticket prices can harm theater and opera in several ways. In first place, the drastically abridged accessibility may kill the pleasure so much that a large portion of the population, particularly students, young people, and lower-income individuals, might get thrown off the boat forever; more correctly, until they get wealthier, restricting who gets to see and learn from and grow from the show.
Secondly, we might end up seeing reduced audience engagement. Theater and opera prosper thanks to a wide range of spectators, including those who attend recurrently, as well as those who come rather sporadically. High ticket prices can discourage recurrent presence and lessen overall involvement in the arts as such, something which is indispensable for longstanding attendance.
Another disadvantage that might come from increased ticket prices is the risk of elitism. When ticket prices become unaffordable, art forms like theater and opera risk being seen as exclusive or elitist, rather than as accessible social and educational experiences. This can alienate potential patrons who might otherwise have become dedicated supporters or new audience members.
The “motionless novelty” of cinema is part of the deal too. If only a minor bunch of people is able to afford tickets, there may appear fewer demands for groundbreaking or investigational productions that expand artistic borders. High prices may well create a culture of pecuniary conservatism, where productions are reluctant to take imaginative ventures.
The burden of high ticket prices on future generations seems inevitable, likely limiting young people’s exposure to the arts. If theater and opera remain out of reach due to unaffordable costs, young audiences may not develop a lasting appreciation for these art forms. This lack of familiarity could hinder their personal development and, over time, negatively impact their overall taste in the arts.
Last but not least, diminished turnout may materialize as a result of those skyrocketing prices on theater and opera tickets. It won’t surprise you that if prices go up, fewer people will be willing or able to attend, meaning: empty seats! This not only has a deleterious effect on ticket sales, but can also bring about the perception that art is dying out or becoming extraneous, rendering it even more difficult to attract new audiences in the future.
While increased prices provide for a good chance to be financially better off, they can eventually constitute a challenge in terms of capability of theater and opera venues to remain culturally relevant and socially practicable. The simplest explanation for all of this may be that we have blindly allowed ourselves to become victims of consumerism. However, we find ourselves helpless in this situation, as this mindset has become so ingrained in society that it’s now completely commonplace.
BLOG by Nugzar B. Ruhadze
