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DIGITAL TICKETING AND OPERA
Age is Not the Issue—Taking the Right Approach is
AGE ISN'T THE BARRIER—ASSUMPTIONS ARE
Change often comes with hesitation, especially in Opera, where tradition is woven into every aspect of the experience. One of the biggest concerns Opera organizations have about transitioning to digital ticketing is that their audiences are simply too old to adapt.
The reality? They are not.
An opera company, and current True Tickets partner, operating in a top 15 U.S. metropolitan area with a median single ticket buyer age of 58 and median subscriber age of 67 in 2024 made significant strides in their shift to digital ticketing, proving that age is not a barrier to adoption—just an outdated assumption.
When one of America’s leading opera companies transitioned to digital ticketing, the question wasn’t if patrons could adapt—but how willingly would they opt in.
The answer: surprisingly well, across every demographic.
- 33% of subscribers over 40 years old
- 35% of long-term legacy donors
- 41% of annual donors opted into digital tickets
- 59% of single-ticket buyers
A significant portion of patrons for this opera willingly opted to receive digital tickets in 2024. This shows that digital ticketing isn’t just for “younger audiences”—it’s an expectation for all ages.
OPERA AUDIENCES AREN'T LATE ADOPTERS
The Opera has traditionally lagged behind other live entertainment sectors in adopting digital ticketing. However, based on this data, it seems it’s not due to audiences being digitally resistant—but more so to Operas themselves being afraid to change. Case and point, for this opera, nearly 50% of their subscribers and 60% of their single ticket buyers willingly converted to digital tickets on their own in 2024.
And for this opera, the rollout went exactly as expected as a good portion of their audience was simply ready for the move to digital. Even more notably, 17% of surveyed attendees said they brought school-age children to a performance (The Sound of Music), showing early signals of generational handoff. As these younger guests become tomorrow’s ticket buyers, digital fluency is a must.
In reality:
- The pandemic accelerated digital adoption in all aspects of life, including ticketing.
- Patrons who initially opposed digital ticketing often reversed their stance after a single positive experience.
- The ability to reveal shadow audiences (previously unknown patrons) due to ticket sharing is a critical growth avenue that can’t be ignored.
IT'S NOT ABOUT AGE, IT'S ABOUT STRATEGY
FINAL CURTAIN
This opera company’s move to digital ticketing wasn’t just a success—it was a non-issue. The idea that “opera audiences are too old for digital” is a myth. If anything, older patrons are proving to be surprisingly agile adopters—when the rollout respects their time, supports their needs, and prioritizes clarity.
When digital ticketing is intuitive, supported by clear communication, and offers a seamless experience, patrons—regardless of demographic—will embrace it. But this isn’t just about technology—it’s about trust. And when opera houses deliver a seamless digital experience, just like a powerful performance on stage, their patrons respond with applause.
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