OPERA NEWS: Banner year for COC
26 Oct'10

JOHN COULBOURN - QMI Agency

It was a banner year for the Canadian Opera Company, with acclaimed productions and better than brisk ticket sales. The COC also managed to make a bit of money in the process. At the annual general meeting on Tuesday, board president Paul Spafford announced the company had enjoyed a record-breaking season in 2009-10, finishing with a modest surplus of $21,000.

With 70 performances of seven operas, including the world premiere of Robert Lepage’s THE NIGHTINGALE AND OTHER SHORT FABLES, the COC set a record for season-ticket revenues, up year over year by 6.2% for a total of more than $13 million. That represents more than 50,000 single tickets and 97.6 % of capacity.

But ticket revenues cover only 41% of the company’s annual budget. The remainder comes from government grants (including increased amounts over the previous year from the Ontario Arts Council and Toronto Culture), from space and production rentals and, finally, from donors, whose portion accounts for some 28%. Spafford praised the people “who believe the COC is worth supporting, beyond simply purchasing a ticket or a subscription. And those that do,” he continued, “are, thankfully, very generous in their support.”

By contrast, in 2008-09 the COC was forced, despite a banner year from a production point of view, to dip into reserves to the tune of $1.6 million in order to finish the year with a $25,000 surplus.

The COC also announced Tuesday that it will once again produce broadcasts of its entire season, in conjunction with CBC Radio 2, making them accessible to both national and international audiences. This marks the second year in a row for the arrangement.