Positive Examples of Social Media in Fine Arts: Operas

Operas are finding that social media can benefit their establishment in many ways. Because Opera is such a traditional and long-established form of entertainment, it is important for it to remain relevant with today’s audiences. The mainstream traditional media arena is shrinking, and people are using “the third screen”, their cell phone, as their primary means of sharing information with the world.  It is one thing to utilize this third screen from your nosebleed seats of a rap concert, but highly frowned upon in the mezzanine of a prestigious opera house. So how does opera remain relevant in the social media atmosphere without debunking the traditions of their art?

The Vancouver Opera House has been a pioneer in incorporating social media practices within their establishment. They have incorporated Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter, as well as a blog that started in 2008. In an article by Gillian Shaw from the Vancouver Sun, Vancouver Opera social media manager Ling Chan states that they have had a rise of younger faces at the opera since their appearance online. They host Twitter and Facebook fan nights along with blogger nights, where fans can arrive early to the show and get excited about it; prompting them to promote the Opera House via their blogs and social media accounts. This opera house’s mission was to reach out and engage their current audience, as well as prospective customers. They were able to increase their reach beyond the traditional opera audiences. This not only bridges the gap between newer and older audiences, but generates interest in their opera house, which brings in revenue and attention for the establishment.

Another example of social media incorporation within opera is the upcoming trend of “tweet seats”. In an article by Deborah Netburn of the Los Angeles Times, she explains this new phenomenon. Tweet seats are areas approved by the opera house where spectators can tweet about the performance. This not only gets audiences involved with the show, but also puts information online for outside audiences to see and inquire about.

These two examples of opera houses using social media proves that even an arts establishment that was most popular in the 1800s can still be relevant with 21^st century society. By implementing a social media plan, and creating an atmosphere where people can interact and share, they can boost revenue and attract potential audiences.