No such thing as young opera fans

Scott Timberg in his critique of L.A. Opera (“Out of earshot,” Oct. 17) claims that the opera company has lost the under-30 crowd because its “programming has budged little since Placido Domingo took over.”

When has any opera company, anywhere, actually “had” the under-30 crowd?

He claims that virtually no 20th century works “have found their way onto our stage.” Last season, Mr. Domingo’s first as artistic director, the opera presented nine productions. Four of those, “Turandot,” “Moses und Aron,” “Duke Bluebeard’s Castle,” and “Giani Schicchi” (the last two directed by me) were written in the 20th century. All were extremely well received and well attended.

Mr. Timberg claims that prices have gone up in the last two years. In fact, ticket prices have risen 3% in that period, a normal increase for any major downtown event. Try getting a good, cheap seat to a Clippers game for less than $50. Floor seats are now $175 per game.

He says that unlike “the more cerebral and abstract medium of classical music,” opera should connect more with young people. What is the meaning, truth or relevance of that? He goes on to explain that opera contains all the staples of a “blood-and-guts spectacle,” “sex, violence, loud singing.”

Perhaps he thinks the under-30 crowd would show up if they could actually see more blood and guts and full-frontal nudity or simulated copulation. I can see them bypassing “Red Dragon” for an opera presented in this way.

William Friedkin

Hollywood

*

It is no wonder opera in Los Angeles has lost the youth in its audience. When one goes to the Los Angeles Opera it is like sitting in an AARP meeting. One can come up with all kinds of theories, but really the answer is very simple: The cost of tickets is much, much too expensive.

When the cheap seats in the third-balcony nosebleed section are $35, and the good front-orchestra section seats are $167, who can afford to attend? Only the affluent retired.

Michael L. Stempel

West Hollywood