LPA Ticket Attendance and Revenue Survey 2016

Photo: Kinky Boots, Michael Cassel Group, Matthew Murphy

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Opera experienced an increase in ticket sales revenue by 11.4% from $41.5m in 2015 to $46.2m in 2016. Despite this increase in revenue, attendance declined by 5.8% from 0.43m in 2015 to 0.41m in 2016. The increase in average ticket price by 20.1% from $121.43 to $145.80 contributed significantly to the increase in revenue.

90.9% of revenue and 96.3% of attendance in the Opera category was generated through performances by AMPAG companies including Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, West Australian Opera Company, and the State Opera of South Australia. AMPAG companies overall experienced an increase in revenue by 10.4% and an increase in attendance by 8.3%.

Opera Australia’s production of The Ring Cycle, performed exclusively in Melbourne for the first time since 2013, contributed significantly to the increase in revenue and high average ticket price. Other major opera performances in 2016 included Turandot (Opera on Sydney Harbour), Carmen, La Bohème, The Magic Flute, The Pearlfishers and The Barber of Seville.

NSW and Victoria generated the majority of Opera revenue and attendance, with a combined 90.4% of revenue market share (65.7% and 24.7% respectively) and 78.4% of attendance market share (57.1% and 21.3% respectively). SA was the only state to experience a decline in Opera revenue (6.6%). Attendance varied across the states with WA experiencing the largest decline of 9.9%.

Close Table

Opera - Revenue and Attendance (2004–2016)

Revenue ($) Growth (%) Total Attendance* Growth (%) Average Ticket Price ($)** Growth (%)
2004 $62,562,433 629,808 $108.88
2005 $46,390,544 -25.8% 531,595 -15.6% $94.38 -13.3%
2006 $48,331,324 4.2% 515,927 -2.9% $102.40 8.5%
2007 $47,249,031 -2.2% 591,605 14.7% $85.28 -16.7%
2008 $41,316,885 -12.6% 402,549 -32.0% $114.46 34.2%
2009 $44,044,027 6.6% 448,096 11.3% $111.62 -2.5%
2010 $40,128,943 -8.9% 409,541 -8.6% $112.86 1.1%
2011 $47,305,786 17.9% 439,041 7.2% $124.66 10.5%
2012 $47,843,971 1.1% 430,904 -1.9% $126.84 1.8%
2013 $43,283,705 -9.5% 344,761 -20.0% $145.28 14.5%
2014 $42,620,749 -1.5% 386,927 12.2% $124.92 -14.0%
2015 $41,505,346 -2.6% 433,198 12.0% $121.43 -2.8%
2016 $46,247,521 11.4% 407,965 -5.8% $145.80 20.1%

*Based on both paid and unpaid tickets

** Average Ticket Prices are calculated based only on paid tickets

State/Territory Breakdown Close Table

Close Table

Opera - by State/Territory (2016)

State/Territory Revenue ($) Market Share Proportion Change from 2015 Attendance Market Share Proportion Change from 2015
NSW $30,404,441 65.7% 0.1% 233,000 57.1% -6.8%
VIC $11,439,197 24.7% 53.6% 86,713 21.3% -8.4%
QLD $1,508,084 3.3% 65.1% 31,436 7.7% 9.1%
WA $1,195,725 2.6% 4.8% 35,336 8.7% -9.9%
SA $1,355,075 2.9% -6.6% 16,454 4.0% -4.6%
ACT $280,511 0.6% 52.9% 3,113 0.8% 8.1%
TAS $0 0.0% 0.0% 0 0.0% 0.0%
NT $64,489 0.1% 1,031.4% 1,913 0.5% 477.9%

Photo: Turandot - Opera Australia, Prudence Upton

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