opera vision

I've been a subscriber to San Francisco Opera on and off for more than 10 years. When I first moved here, I joined the hordes for standing room, which had its own precise etiquette for lining up and dashing in the doors to try to grab one of the few good spots for leaning for five hours. Like a high-class game of Musical Chairs, with elderly ushers chasing you across the marble intoning, "Don't run!"

Over time, I've moved around the opera house, occasionally splurging on orchestra seats (today over $100) but just as often enjoying performances from the balcony. It's well known among music lovers that the best acoustics are in the nosebleed section.

The quality of offerings varies considerably, but service from the opera organization rarely dips below stellar. There's a good reason for this. Even with average tickets above $70 and most performances at near capacity, box office only covers half the costs, so the opera depends on contributions and on building long-term relations with subscribers. Their well-heeled subscriber base is aging, and there's always tension in programming between commissions like Phillip Glass' "Appomattox" and crowd pleasers like "La Boheme" and "The Magic Flute."

Even in years when opera offerings are less than tantalizing, I try to subscribe to a minimal number of performances because of the privileges afforded to subscribers. These include the ability to exchange tickets for another performance or upgrade to better seats without charge, along with several backstage tours and invites to rehearsals. Once I lost my tickets and called the box office; they looked me up and sent me new ones. San Francisco Opera, despite my paltry contributions over the years, still treats me royally.

This year, I decided to get nosebleed seats for a half season. After all, I could upgrade or exchange them at will. The half season for balcony sides was sold out, so I took the whole season. The tickets are only $15 each, little more than a movie.


Then I got a letter from the new director, excitedly announcing Opera Vision. The company would broadcast the opera on high definition screens in the balcony. They hoped I would try it out, and like it. They listed the affected performances.

Unfortunately I had only Opera Vision for all ten operas. I guess I wasn't that open to new technology. When I e-mailed and then called to see if they could switch my tickets, they upgraded me to dress circle for the entire season. I'm in the 2nd row, in the $90 seats.

I love the opera. I'll include them in my charitable donations this year and maybe next year, I'll splurge on the more expensive seats. Most companies, especially those offering subscriptions, would do well to follow their example.


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