Posted by Rick Denney on October 24, 2000 at 21:59:12:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Are orchestras dying? posted by Bryan on October 24, 2000 at 18:35:53:
Duplicate their success? It's easy. All you have to do is obtain a population of well-dressed wealthy people who are more interested in being cultured than they are in music. Sure, the Meyerson may be full most of the time (though I bought subscriptions and single tickets with only a few limitations), but I've never heard a symphony audience in the U.S. make more noise during a performance, including as they leave in the middle of the last movement to get the jump on the traffic on their way to the hip coffee bar in Deep Ellum.
I greatly preferred the San Antonio audience. The weren't as many, but the orchestra has always had a fine sound--much better than most would expect--and the audience has a higher-than-usual percentage of plain music-lovers. I never saw a tux in that audience.