When we think of opera, magnificent venues like the Metropolitan Opera House come to mind.  When we all went to go see The Nose last week, I can imagine all of us being in awe of the massive and elegant atmosphere of the opera house.  I know that when I went to the opera for the first time, I could  only try to think of the spectacular performances of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and classics by Mozart like The Magic Flute.  Would you believe me if I told you that small venues are on the rise to deliver opera to the masses?  The idea of small opera house goes against any of our expectations of what going to the opera is like.  I can tell you that these small venues offer people a new way to experience opera.

David Belcher, a journalist for the New York Times, explores the new craze of small opera houses in his article, Opera Houses Find that Small can be Beautiful.  Belcher describes the small opera house, or the “black-box operas”, as he calls it, as a scaled-down version of big opera-house productions that are smaller in budget and far less of a spectacle.  As you go to one of these “black-box operas”, you can bet that it is not going to have the ridiculous sets or extravagant costumes you see at the Metropolitan Opera.  David Belcher goes on to say how the attendance at big opera houses is at a decline.  In the article, Belcher states: “While classics by such composers still draw crowds, ticket sales have been declining at most opera houses over the years, offering smaller venues a chance to prove themselves as a growth market.” (Belcher).  One major argument can be drawn from this statement: if the classics seem to be the only thing people are attending, then how can new music enter the scene if people do not attend.  This is where the “black-box opera” comes in.  Being more affordable than regular opera houses, these opera houses can draw crowds for new works and spin-offs on old classics.  New operas can find a home in the small opera house and avoid the losses from going right to the grandest venues.

Over the past couple years, some of these “black-box operas” have had great success.  The Sydney Opera, for example, achieved success with one of their small opera houses when they showcased La Soiree, a cabaret show.  The Sydney Opera has had quite a large amount of success as La Soiree has been selling out the last two years.  Another group that has come to fame through the “black-box opera” is the EST, or the Eating, Singing and Travel People as they like to be called.  From Malaysia, the EST became a success after doing performances in small opera houses such as La Boheme.  The members of EST actually prefer the atmosphere of these small opera houses.  Danny Chen, the executive producer for EST, said the following regarding the small opera houses in an article for The Star: Though it’s smaller, we find Black Box makes a good experience for audiences. “While the full size opera halls are so large you need binoculars to see the actors, this stage makes it more of an up-close-and-personal experience” (Tariq).  EST uses this humble approach to opera to present even large works; they are currently preparing for a production of Georges Bizet’s Carmen.  I am sure it is something that no one would want to miss!

So I will go back to the question I posed in the title: can a small opera house succeed?  With smaller budgets, cheaper tickets, and ability to show new works, I think it is possible.  La Soiree and EST have done well with “black-box operas”.  New York City even boasts some of its own small opera houses such as the Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre and the Black Box Theatre at NYU.  In the shadows of the Metropolitan Opera, these theaters must boast an array of productions that are compelling and unlike anything you would imagine at the Metropolitan Opera.

http://www.lexisnexis.com.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sf&sfi=AC00NBGenSrch

http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Entertainment/Arts/On-Stage/2013/10/28/Beyond-opera-limits-with-Carmen.aspx