OUGD502 - Studio Brief 02 - Royal Opera House Research

As a collaborative group we undertook research, each focusing on specific areas. I was tasked with researching the economic aspect of ballet.

The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London, and is the home of both The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet. Ballet as an art form has a reputation of being one of the most expensive arts, with equipment, costumes and education all costing many thousands of pounds. However, the price of the art form does not necessarily reflect the price of viewing a show. Research into the venue and ticket prices revealed that the cost of a ticket can vary hugely, although some tickets were surprisingly cheap, with seats going from as little as £4. 

It was discovered that the pricing in the most popular months (spring/summer) could reach as high as £270 per ticket, however, cheaper alternatives were always available. An average ticket price of the cheaper range of tickets at around £30-£40, which is more than accessible for many young adults and new-comers to ballet.

The Royal Opera House also offers multiple Friend memberships, including the Young Friend Membership. At £58 a year the Young Friend Membership offers exclusive deals including priority information through their quarterly magazine, priority booking and invitations to three events across the Season, including the opportunity to go on a backstage tour. For young professionals with a larger disposable income, a Friend membership is still highly accessible and could provide a focus for our group campaign.