The Anonymous Widower

Is Opera and Ballet Elitist?

The question has to be asked after last night and my visit to the O2.

In my view it was a serious experiment to try to sell ballet to people, who would not normally go and it has been reported as such. Here’s Arlene Phillips, saying that ballet is for everyone.

But if it was so important, why is it that only the Independent seems to published a review this morning?

Perhaps those that feel very seriously  about ballet think that the O2 is rather beneath it.

I think that this might be the problem.  Those that go regularly, often subsidised in their corporate seats want to keep it not elitist but exclusive!

Here’s a few thoughts.

My mother was a humble comptometer operator in the Accounts Department of Reeves in Dalston before the Second World War.  She and her friends regularly went to the ballet and the opera. Would the typical office worker on the equivalent salary to my mother be able to afford a weekly visit to opera or ballet now?

I was once at about the age of sixteen at White Hart Lane to see Spurs play Arsenal. It must have been after Spurs had disbanded their band, as the Metropolitan Police Band were playing before the match and at half time. At half-time, one of the band put down his instrument and immaculately performed a serious operatic work. The performance was very good and totally unexpected and he got a tumultuous response from the probably 50,000 or so in the ground. So when people say that the common people don’t appreciate opera, are they are putting forward the collective view to preserve the exclusivity?

One of the best theatrical performances C and I ever saw, was a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar by the Italian Youth Theatre in the theatre at Taormina in Sicily.

June 18, 2011 Posted by AnonW | World | Ballet, Entertainment, Opera | 6 Comments