Digital tickets for individual reps

[SandyMcKean]

I see PNB offers a $300 streaming subscription to its 2023/2024 season. In years past, they also offered a digital ticket to an individual rep for $30. Look as I might, I can not find a reference to these digital tickets for individual reps for the 2023/2024 season. Have they discontinued those?

Due to mounting medical problems, I can no longer travel to Seattle to see every rep as I used to. Last season worked well for me by travelling a couple of times to Seattle for my favorite programs/choreographers, and then buying a digital ticket for each of the rest. I hope I can still do that.

[Helene]

Digital tickets at $35 are listed in the press release for the Petite Mort rep.

I've only purchased advanced digital tickets for Nutcracker -- does PNB sell advanced rep tickets before the rep is over?

[volcanohunter]

It has in the past, but I don't remember exactly when sales began.

[sandik]

Call the box office and ask -- they're usually pretty helpful.

[SandyMcKean]

FYI....

I called the box office and indeed PNB is not offering digital tickets for individual reps this year. You can purchase a digital subscription for the entire season, but not individual reps. I'm guessing the indvidual tickets Helene speaks of above are only available to normal in-person subscription holders.

Edited September 21, 2023 by SandyMcKean

[California]

11 minutes ago, SandyMcKean said:

FYI....

I called the box office and indeed PNB is not offering digital tickets for individual reps this year. You can purchase a digital subscription for the entire season, but not individual reps. I'm guessing the indvidual tickets Helene speaks of above are only available to normal in-person subscription holders.

Ouch! $300 for the digital subscription. Very discouraging. I was mainly interested in the two Kylians on the first program, not so much the rest of the season. I will probably skip it.

[Helene]

It was in the press release that they'd be sold at $35 each.  There were no restrictions listed indicating that they were limited to subscribers.  Full subscribers could get the digital add on for, if I remember correctly, $30 for the season.

I'm getting an error trying to access the August press release about the rep from the PNB site, but I have the original in my Inbox, which in the "Ticket Information" section,

"Tickets for PNB's digital-only presentation of PETITE MORT (October 5--9) are $35."

It's not part of my original post, because I wanted to separate it from the main post, and because the site combines post by the same member if they're posted within a few minutes of each other, I was waiting to add it later, and forgot.

The season's digital price is higher than $35/rep, even if the Nutcracker is included (49?), which I didn't pay attention to before.

There was no subsequent press release that announced any change.

Even if this is not their intention, it's an effective way of sticking a fork in the digital program.

[volcanohunter]

I understand that the company has to cover costs, but I find it hard to believe that an all-or-nothing approach will bring in more money. Not when an annual subscription to Royal Opera House Stream costs about $125 and the same at Paris Opera Play costs about $107, including livestreams.

[SandyMcKean]

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 Not when an annual subscription to Royal Opera House Stream costs about $125 and the same at Paris Opera Play costs about $107, including livestreams.

I think we're talking some apples and oranges here. I'm pretty sure the Royal does not offer any digital tickets to the current season. volcanohunter, I think what you're talking about is a subscription that allows you to stream performances from past years that they house in a video library (similar to how the NY Met Opera does it). Paris is a bit more complex. They also only offer a streaming subscription to a library of past performances except they do include 4 live streams (but maybe you have to watch it while it is actually happening.....whatever hour that is).

PNB is different. You can stream each rep in this year's season for 5 days (immediately after the last live performance) as many times as you like. It's a video of the opening night performance from 2 weeks before. When it's gone, it's gone.

[SandyMcKean]

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There was no subsequent press release that announced any change.

Well, the box office just told me a couple of hours ago that they decided not to offer digital tickets to individual reps. Maybe they changed their mind since that press release. There certainly is no way on their website that I can find to purchase such a single rep digital ticket for $35 like in the past

Edited September 21, 2023 by SandyMcKean

[Helene]

It seems odd to me that they wouldn't announce it, and certainly not to have any messaging I can find on the site, so that patrons don't question their sanity and have to call.

[California]

39 minutes ago, SandyMcKean said:

I think we're talking some apples and oranges here. I'm pretty sure the Royal does not offer any digital tickets to the current season. volcanohunter, I think what you're talking about is a subscription that allows you to stream performances from past years that they house in a video library (similar to how the NY Met Opera does it). Paris is a bit more complex. They also only offer a streaming subscription to a library of past performances except they do include 4 live streams (but maybe you have to watch it while it is actually happening.....whatever hour that is).

PNB is different. You can stream each rep in this year's season for 5 days (immediately after the last live performance) as many times as you like. It's a video of the opening night performance from 2 weeks before. When it's gone, it's gone.

Royal's stream is not the current season. I bought it during COVID, but if you're a Friend (at a pretty low level) you get a discount. Very rich library that's better than what I see on Medici or Marquee from Royal. And it's a way to preview things with their ABT partnership (Water for Chocolate and now Woolf Works). 

I think PNB is making a mistake eliminating the single digital performance. Perhaps they didn't bring in enough $$ or the administration was too messy for the money. But as I've said before, I saw them as pioneers with their high-tech capacities in that theater in Seattle. If I could buy individual NYCB performances, even a few weeks after the live theatre event, I would, for sure. But I realize it must be hard to get that set up and administered so they at least break even. 

[volcanohunter]

43 minutes ago, SandyMcKean said:

I think we're talking some apples and oranges here. I'm pretty sure the Royal does not offer any digital tickets to the current season. volcanohunter, I think what you're talking about is a subscription that allows you to stream performances from past years that they house in a video library (similar to how the NY Met Opera does it). Paris is a bit more complex. They also only offer a streaming subscription to a library of past performances except they do include 4 live streams (but maybe you have to watch it while it is actually happening.....whatever hour that is).

It isn't exactly the same, but from the point of view of the consumer, it's a question of spending $300 vs. $125. Personally, I'm not particularly concerned about the live or almost live aspect. My only expectation from ROH Stream is that insomuch as its cinema offerings are not available at any North American multiplex, as far as I can tell, I will nevertheless be able to watch the performances online eventually. I would be even happier if the ROH followed the example of the Met and made the live cinemacasts available as pay-per-view livestreams for those who do not live in close proximity to a cinema screening. (I'd say an ocean between me and a cinema would qualify.)

As for the livestreams from the Paris Opera, they are available for seven days on demand following the performance. Shortly thereafter they are transferred to the library. Available titles are taken out of rotation periodically, with advance warning.

My only exposure to PNB is through the streams. I don't know the dancers especially well, and I have no emotional investment in their careers. So for someone like me, $300 for seven streams is a tough sell.

[volcanohunter]

For comparison, the Australian Ballet has been offering individual livestreams for four programs each season. They cost 29 AUD (about $19) and are available on demand for 14 days. I don't know what 2024 will bring.

[Helene]

San Francisco Opera streams the third performance of each rep -- and last year, two anniversary galas -- and then for the non-gala events, allows unlimited views for 48 hours starting 10am PT the next day.  For the last two seasons, they've cost $27.50 each, all inclusive, although it may be taxable for California residents. 

They opened their digital season last night with Il Trovatore.

I wonder if this is the or one of the Operavision performances, where they already "broadcast" to screens on both sides of the Balcony (top level), where you get the closeups and subtitles on the screen if you look, but get to hear the sound from the top of the house, the best of both worlds for me. (Plus, you can always watch the stage instead.)

 

[volcanohunter]

The Royal Ballet did a combination of cinema presentations and stream rentals during the 2021-22 season before settling on subscriptions for library access. The first version of the Paris Opera streaming platform also offered one-off rentals of livestreams and archived videos before settling on a subscription system.

5 hours ago, California said:

If I could buy individual NYCB performances, even a few weeks after the live theatre event, I would, for sure. But I realize it must be hard to get that set up and administered so they at least break even. 

So would I. More than a decade ago a New York Times article mentioned that when the ex-State was renovated, a media suite was installed, but never put to use. By now the equipment is probably obsolete. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/arts/dance/media-suite-at-david-h-koch-theater-goes-unused.html

[SandyMcKean]

20 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

It isn't exactly the same, but from the point of view of the consumer, it's a question of spending $300 vs. $125. Personally, I'm not particularly concerned about the live or almost live aspect.

For me it's night and day. Luckily, I'm close enough to attend PNB live, but these days I live far enough away and with deteriorating health, I don't get down there for every rep anymore. My objective, as it has been for 30+ years, is to see every PNB rep every year......hopefully multiple times. So for me, the streaming option is all about this year's season....the past is ho-hum to me. So for $300, I get 7 reps plus Nutcracker. If I count the Nut as 1 rep, each rep costs $37.50.....not too different than the $35 per rep of the past.

 

Quote

My only expectation from ROH Stream is that insomuch as its cinema offerings are not available at any North American multiplex, as far as I can tell.......

Like you, I am very disappointed that the ROH is essentially not available in the USA. In past years, I went to all of those ballets, as well as several operas (about an hour drive to a participating cinema). No one loves PNB more than I do, but if the truth be known, during those years the ROH ballet became my favorite company. The Bolshoi streams are gone now too. I'm feeling deprived 😉.

[Helene]

The PNB Nutcracker digital stream was more expensive than the standard rep stream.  I used to get it as a stand-alone.

[SandyMcKean]

20 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

As for the livestreams from the Paris Opera, they are available for seven days on demand following the performance.

volcanohunter, do you know of a way I can access Paris Opera livestreams here in the USA? I've tried and tried to find a way to do that, but have been unable to do so. Do you happen to have a link that would get me started?

[volcanohunter]

@SandyMcKean If the streams come via French television, they are often geoblocked, the same way that PBS videos can't be streamed outside the United States. I used to have a VPN subscription and was able to watch by keeping a browser dedicated exclusively for French sites. Because as soon as French television detected that a browser had been in a different geographic zone, it would shut me out, VPN notwithstanding. 

However Paris Opera Play is designed to be a global platform, and I have been able to watch everything, including programs that originally aired on French television. Presumably because I've paid for it. (I had been willing to pay for the privilege of watching ballet on French television also, but the mechanism didn't exist.)

https://play.operadeparis.fr/en 

[SandyMcKean]

21 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

For comparison, the Australian Ballet has been offering individual livestreams for four programs each season. They cost 29 AUD (about $19) and are available on demand for 14 days. I don't know what 2024 will bring.

I'm so glad you mentioned this. I didn't know this company could be streamed! I will definitely give it a whirl. Probably not Swan Lake this month, but for sure in November I will stream "The Dream / Marguerite and Armand" which is sort of a "dream" program for me. I can't tell you how much I love Ashton's "Marguerite and Armand". I adore Ashton, but PNB doesn't do Ashton, so streaming is my only opportunity. I've seen "M&A" just once when the ROH streamed, and sections of it on Youtube. $29 over 14 days.....sweet deal.

[volcanohunter]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:27 PM, SandyMcKean said:

My objective, as it has been for 30+ years, is to see every PNB rep every year......hopefully multiple times.

I understand completely what you mean. This is why I can't help thinking that the digital package is geared to PNB regulars, while the price will probably scare off most others, who don't have the same sort of devotion to the company, and it could result in lower viewership overall. But perhaps the number-crunchers saw that the vast majority viewers were locals, who were renting every or nearly every stream. Still, over the past 20 years or so I think most of us have gotten used to flexibility in our subscriptions. (For example, I typically opt out of Nutcrackers, because I hate the local production, and the performances are a bit of a zoo.)

On 9/22/2023 at 2:22 PM, SandyMcKean said:

$29 over 14 days.....sweet deal.

Yes. In 2022 the charge was 25 AUD for 48 hours of on-demand viewing. At the time this was equivalent to about $17 US. The additional $4 the company began charging in 2023 for two weeks of access is totally worth it.

Edited September 27, 2023 by volcanohunter

[SandyMcKean]

FYI, I called SF Ballet (not Opera) box office. The ballet no longer offers any sort of digital tickets (even for live-seat subscribers).

[Helene]

I didn't know the ballet didn't do that, or I would have subscribed and then watched the digital performances. 

The opera launched their live streaming service last year, after offering the public television videos for free during the first year of the pandemic and as on demand from the vault if you donated a certain amount.  (I remember $75, but it was less than $100.) 

[SandyMcKean]

12 minutes ago, Helene said:

I didn't know the ballet didn't do that, or I would have subscribed and then watched the digital performances. 

The SF box office told me that there are no more digital tickets for anyone under any circumstances (including any sort of subscriber).....so your scheme would not have worked anyway 😟.