Opera Marketing: Rebranding the Genre

This paper reviews current and historical opera marketing practices and analyzes the marketing mix (product, place, promotion, price, and people) of major opera companies in the United States. The purpose of this paper is to determine methods to attract and build sustainable, less homogenous audiences. Surveys were conducted to determine public perceptions about the art form from both opera-goers and non-opera buyers and interviews with leaders within the field of opera marketing revealed current trends. The paper provides insights about changes within the field in recent years and offers suggestions for improvement based on the success of other opera companies and other artistic organizations.