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Opera Philadelphia Launches Affordable Ticket Initiative

Diverse audience members enjoying a live opera performance at Opera Philadelphia.

News Summary

Opera Philadelphia has announced its upcoming 2025-2026 season with tickets available from $11 through its ‘Pick Your Price’ initiative. This program aims to enhance accessibility and attract a broader audience, with single tickets on sale from May 15. The season includes five productions, featuring world and Philadelphia premieres. An Opera Pass is also being introduced for dedicated opera fans. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to inclusivity in the arts and aims to engage a new generation of opera-goers.

Philadelphia – Opera Philadelphia has announced that tickets for its upcoming 2025-2026 season will be available at prices starting as low as $11 through its innovative “Pick Your Price” initiative. This significant move aims to make opera more accessible and affordable for a wider audience, highlighting the company’s commitment to inclusivity in the performing arts.

The ticket prices allow patrons to choose to pay $11 or opt for a higher price of their choosing, providing flexibility that caters to various budgets. Single tickets will be available for purchase to the public starting on May 15 at 10 a.m., with expectations of high demand following the success of the inaugural year of the “Pick Your Price” program, which saw tickets sell out quickly.

In the first year of this initiative, a remarkable 67% of single ticket buyers were first-time opera attendees, indicating a successful outreach to those who may have previously considered opera inaccessible. The General Director and President of Opera Philadelphia noted the strategic shift aims to attract both seasoned opera patrons and newcomers, ensuring a diverse audience experience.

The 2025-2026 season promises an exciting lineup, featuring five opera productions across three theaters situated along the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia. Among the productions, the season will include two world premieres, two Philadelphia premieres, and one company premiere. The opening production will be Rossini’s ‘Il viaggio a Reims’, performed at the Academy of Music on September 19, 21, 26, and 28. This performance is set in a contemporary art museum context, blending classic opera with modern-day artistic themes.

Continuing the season, a reimagined production of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” will take place at the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater on December 19, 20, and 21. February 2026 will introduce a world premiere titled “Complications in Sue” by Michael R. Jackson, scheduled for February 4, 5, 6, and 8. Additional highlights include the original commission “Sleepers Awake,” premiering on April 22, 24, and 26, 2026, followed by the final production, “The Black Clown,” to be performed on May 14, 15, 16, and 17, 2026.

Opera Philadelphia has also introduced an “Opera Pass,” available for $11 monthly or $111 annually. This pass grants subscribers early access to ticket purchases, enhancing the experience for avid opera fans committed to the organization’s offerings. The low-priced tickets and subscription model have generated interest on a national level, identifying and engaging a previously untapped audience eager to experience live opera performance.

Despite initial reservations about a potentially higher no-show rate associated with lower-priced tickets, the actual no-show rates for the $11 tickets have aligned with those typically observed for regular-priced tickets. This finding reinforces the effectiveness of the pricing strategy while maintaining audience engagement. Opera Philadelphia is anticipating that the new season will sell out by mid-May, based on current demand trends.

The budget for the 2025-2026 season reflects a significant increase, rising to $13.1 million from the previous $11.1 million, marking a growth in the number of performances from three titles to five. This expansion of offerings builds upon the current season, which featured only three titles with nine performances, paving the way for a more robust lineup in the upcoming season.

Opera Philadelphia continues to innovate within the realm of cultural offerings, making strides in accessibility and fostering a new generation of opera-goers, demonstrating that art can indeed be a platform for connection and community engagement.