The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-11
OPERA PRICES TO Be RAISED
ORCHESTRA SEATS HEREAFTER
TO BE 50 EACH.
Price Of Seats In Other Parts Of House to
BE Unchanged Increased Cost Of
Producing Operas the Reason for the
ChAnse e-PIans for Next season.

ChAn9e-PIans for Next season.
The board Of directors of the Metro
politan Opera House has sent out a crcu-
lar to subscribers saying that it has been
decided to increase the price Of seats here
after in the orchestra and orchestra circle
from IS to 90 There will be no increase
in the prices heretofore charged for the
dress circle. balcony and family circle.
The circular says:
"ln former years the public was satisfied
il the performances presented included
some lesdt1 stars. and the production
Of opera Involved, consequently, little
expense aSl0A ersm the outlay for soloists.
But the A>&Asoers of to-day demand
the best tGpld1.nances from every point
OF view. ~ Give performances measur-
ing up to the standard now required
necessitatse th4 engagement Of the most
eminent orchestra conductors, the train
ing Of a well equipped orchestra COM
posed Of high class artists. a thoroughly
drilled chorus OF the best obtalnabe
material. mise en- scene. stage manage
ment and general accessories which will
satisfy the most fastidous demands, and
trained corps Of assistants in all branches
, Of stage work-all OF which. with the
added factor of the general rise in the
cost OF all labor and materials. has caused
an enormous increase in the expense OF
the production OF opera as now given at
the Metropolitan Opera House
Owing to the rise in prices. which has
affected theatrical as we'll as operate
productions. the managers Of first class
theatres have been compelled within
the last few years TO increase the price
Of seats in the orchestra and front rows
OF the balcony from 81 so to 81. but for
more than twenty years the prices Of
admission 10 the various parts of the
opera house have remained stationary.
There is no good reason for adhering
to the present scale Of prices when the
conditions under which those prices were
fixed and accepted az just and reasonable
have 80 vastly changed. The very heavy
loes recurring each year and necessitated
by the causes above explained has until
now been borne entirely by the few stock
holders Of the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany. To eliminate such loss entirely
would require material raising of prices
throughout the house, but we do not
desire to increase the cost OF attending
opera to those to whom such increase
might mean real hardship. that is. to
the occupante Of lower priced seats
The stockholders Of the Metropolitan
Opera Company have renounced all claims
to profits and IL any season yields a sur
plus IL must be devoted to obtaining
greater perfection in the production Of
opera. We are entirely conviNced that
our patrons will approve Of the reason
ableness and justice Of the slight increase
in the price which after much deliberation
we have made"
The directors also announce that the
subscription books for the season 1911
1912 are now open and subscribers TO the
present season will have the right up to
and including May 20. 1911, to renew their
subscriptions for the coming season
After May 22, 1911, seats will be allotted
to new subscribers in the order in which
their applications have been received.
The season will begin on Monday
November IS. 1911. and will continue for
twenty-five weeks, during which there
will be given 40 regular subscription
performances lightweight evenings and
twenty-five matinees. the regular sub
scription performances to take place on
Monday. Wednesday. Thursday and Fri
day evenings and Saturday afternoons.