Toronto the highbrow? Canadian Opera Company announces record-breaking sales
Torontonians may love the over-the-top, big-budget musicals, but it seems we’re patrons of highbrow culture, too: the Canadian Opera Company has announced a record-breaking 2009–2010 season, with excellent ticket sales and near-capacity crowds at each of its 70 shows. Two of its seven operas had sold-out runs—Robert Lepage‘s The Nightingale and Other Short Fables and Madama Butterfly—and overall, the season’s performances were at 97.6 per cent capacity (in August, it even introduced standing-room only “seats”).
This all adds up to $13 million in revenue from ticket sales, up 6.2 per cent from last season. But it’s not just about the money; the season was also a critical success, with The Flying Dutchman winning two Dora Awards and The Nightingale winning outstanding production.
If you can’t make it to the theatre for a warbling vibrato fix, the entire season will be broadcast on CBC Radio 2.
• Banner year for COC [Toronto Sun]
• COC has surplus as box office jumps 6.2% [CBC]
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/culture/toronto-the-highbrow-canadian-opera-company-announces-record-breaking-sales/&title=Toronto the highbrow? Canadian Opera Company announces record-breaking sales&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/lepage-nightingale.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_45395" align="alignleft" width="320" caption="Robert LePage's Nightingale and Other Short Fables enjoyed a sold-out run (Image: Michael Cooper)"][/caption]
Torontonians may love the over-the-top, big-budget musicals, but it seems we're patrons of highbrow culture, too: the Canadian Opera Company has announced a record-breaking 2009–2010 season, with excellent ticket sales and near-capacity crowds at each of its 70 shows. Two of its seven operas had sold-out runs—Robert Lepage's The Nightingale and Other Short Fables and Madama Butterfly—and overall, the season's performances were at 97.6 per cent capacity (in August, it even introduced standing-room only "seats").
This all adds up to $13 million in revenue from ticket sales, up 6.2 per cent from last season. But it's not just about the money; the season was also a critical success, with The Flying Dutchman winning two Dora Awards and The Nightingale winning outstanding production.
If you can't make it to the theatre for a warbling vibrato fix, the entire season will be broadcast on CBC Radio 2.
• Banner year for COC [Toronto Sun]
• COC has surplus as box office jumps 6.2% [CBC]){kind=link}
“Torontonians may love the over-the-top, big-budget musicals, but it seems our taste in opera is equally highbrow: the Canadian Opera Company has announced a record-breaking 2009–2010 season, with excellent ticket sales and near-capacity crowds at each of its 70 shows.”
Why *equally* highbrow? “Miss Saigon” is not highbrow.