You Belong in the Audience of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Opera

Classical music has a complicated reputation. Historically, the art form was reserved for the wealthy echelons of society. To this day, most symphony orchestras and operas still have steep ticket prices, largely white audiences, Eurocentric repertoires, and elitist expectations of dress and behavior. Still, recognizing the exclusivity is no reason to stay away; instead, one way to push back is by simply showing up.
Swarthmore’s location near Philadelphia gives students unparalleled access to various regional arts venues, namely The Philadelphia Orchestra, one of the finest ensembles in the country, and Opera Philadelphia, a company at the forefront of innovation and inclusion in the operatic art form.
Last fall, looking for an excuse to get off campus and into Philadelphia, some friends and I discovered the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Student Circle. For only $30, the membership grants access to $8 tickets in quality sections of the concert hall one week before main season shows of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Typical ticket prices range from $70 to over $200 without the membership.
The deal was too good to pass up, so we bought memberships and began frequent Saturday night adventures into the city. Because the memberships allow each holder to purchase two discounted tickets per concert, over the school year we brought multiple friends, often to their first-ever professional orchestra concert. We paired the new experience with something more familiar — a late-night ice cream trip or a dinner in the city beforehand, and we always saw fellow Swatties at concerts and on the train platforms heading back home.
We, along with much of the audience, abandoned some of the antiquated traditions of the orchestra: we didn’t dress up, we enthusiastically cheered at the conclusion of each piece, and we rode every mode of SEPTA transit to access the stunningly gorgeous Marian Anderson Music Hall, where we were surrounded by the stirring melodies and fervent musical genius of our own city’s musicians. Each of us developed an affection for our own favorite musicians. We began to recognize the late-night regional rail conductors and laughed at the many possible ways to pronounce composer names (Debussy? Dvořák?).
While I had been exposed to live orchestra before college, I had less experience with perhaps a more intimidating art form for some: opera. That all changed my freshman year, when I learned about Opera Philadelphia’s “Pick Your Price” model. The program is the first of its kind from a major opera company, which allows any seat to any opera to be bought for as low as $11. The novelty of this initiative cannot be overstated, as sticker prices for the seats offered for “Pick Your Price” typically range from $50 to close to $300.
Newly appointed general director of Opera Philadelphia, Anthony Roth Costanzo, who is an acclaimed opera singer himself, explained that the goal of the program is to expand the accessibility of opera and allow people to explore something new without high stakes or a high cost barrier. The program has already been a wild success, with practically sold-out seasons for Opera Philadelphia, a rarity in the current classical music landscape.
Opera Philadelphia seeks to reach a broader audience, not just through lowered ticket prices but also through its dynamic programming. The company has featured works from new composers alongside modern adaptations of beloved classics. Its online resources, like “Opera 101,” explain what to expect at a performance and break down stereotypes, including the necessity of fancy attire.
The first time I attended an Opera Philadelphia performance, sitting in the orchestra with an $11 ticket, I was mesmerized by the powerful voices and stunning visual scene on stage. The English supertitles allowed me to follow the plot easily, and I enjoyed conversation with a woman sitting next to me who had also purchased a “Pick Your Price” ticket. We belonged in the audience because we were curious about opera, not because of how much we paid for our tickets or how much historical knowledge of the art form we had.
My most recent trip to the opera, on Sept. 10, for the opening of the 26/27 season, Mozart’s “Mitridate, re di Ponto,” was similarly captivating. Opera Philadelphia’s general director Anthony Roth Costanzo played the lead role of “Farnace.” His signature dramaticism and powerful countertenor voice were standouts of the performance.
I challenge even those who have never thought about opera to try it once; perhaps one of the shorter offerings of the company is a good place to start. The staff and fellow audience are extremely welcoming to newcomers, and the risks are minimal; at worst, you’ll spend an evening in the stunningly beautiful Academy of Music surrounded by the Philadelphia community experiencing something new. At best, you discover a hidden love for opera, become increasingly fluent in Italian, and meet a soulmate who shares your new passion!
Student Circle memberships are available on the Philadelphia Orchestra website. “Pick Your Price” tickets for “Suddenly Last Summer,” a 75-minute opera based on Tennessee Williams’ play, are available now on Opera Philadelphia’s website, and the rest of the season goes on sale Nov. 23.
There is no way to guess what you might encounter on a night at the symphony or opera. You may encounter an elderly man hollering “Bravo!” at the conclusion of every piece, young children sleeping across balcony seats, friends competing in a classical music trivia contest, or a stranger who will ask about your love life and offer you oatmeal raisin cookies (these are all real experiences!). Try to find joy in these small observations. Everyone is enjoying the music in a way that is unique to them, and you, too, should feel free to take up space in the audience and experience classical music in whatever way you choose.