S.D. Opera reports drive-in ‘La bohème’ a success
San Diego Opera officials are celebrating the success of their drive-in production of “La bohème” last month, which not only sold a large number of tickets but also brought many new operagoers into the arts organization’s audience.
Two of the four performances sold out all 450 available parking spaces. The other two performances sold at 96 percent and 85 percent. And more than 34 percent of attendees were first-time San Diego Opera ticket buyers, the company said.
Based on patron surveys, San Diego Opera estimates that more than 3,000 people attended the four combined performances. That was a strong number under the circumstances, but by comparison, just one sold-out performance of “La bohème” at the San Diego Civic Theatre would have drawn more than 2,900.
The patron survey also found that 99 percent of attendees reported that they felt safe in the drive-in environment. A significant number of the ticket buyers were local and national arts leaders who attended the show in order to explore the idea of presenting their own drive-in performances.
“There are many things to be proud of with our recent drive-in ‘La bohème,’ ” David Bennett, San Diego Opera’s general director, said in a statement. “It was incredibly strong musically and dramatically, gave much-needed employment to many, and provided an opportunity for our audiences to enjoy a communal experience after spending so much time alone. But most importantly, we did this with zero COVID-19 positive results. We proved that with good planning, safety and artistic ingenuity can coexist.”
San Diego Opera has postponed most of its 2020-21 season to next year, but its next scheduled show, the World War I-inspired holiday choral work “All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914,” is still listed on the company’s website for Dec. 4-6 at the Balboa Theatre. Those performances will not be possible at the temporarily shuttered theater. But the company has been exploring the idea of a drive-in production of “All Is Calm.” As of this week, no decision had been made.
Puccini’s “La bohème” was presented on an elevated stage in the Pechanga Arena parking lot for four performances Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. They were among the first live, in-person opera performances produced worldwide since the pandemic began.
In order to follow social-distancing orders, the singers were quarantined, rehearsed in masks, were tested regularly for COVID-19, and performed far away from one another onstage during the show’s run. The San Diego Symphony musicians, who performed the opera’s score on an adjacent stage, sat several feet away from each other and, in some cases, behind plexiglass shields to avoid mingled air.
Audience members were also required to follow strict protocols, including remaining in their cars for the duration of the shortened 90-minute performance, except for masked walks to restrooms.
Because the tickets were sold by vehicle, many operagoers arrived in cars filled to capacity and enjoyed picnic dinners and wine while they watched the show. Video cameras captured close-ups of the singers on screens throughout the parking lot, where the English translation of the Italian libretto was shown in subtitles.
Tickets were $200 per car, or $300 for preferred parking. Because the general parking was first come, first served, many of the ticket holders showed up 90 minutes in advance to queue up in the waiting lot.