The Paris Opera, shaken for months by a succession of crises, recorded a drop of a third of sponsorship revenue and up to 45% of subscriptions for the 2020-2021 season, its management said on Wednesday.
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“ We are between 35 and 45% of lost subscriptions for the 2020-2021 season. Are we going to get it back? I think it is unlikely, "said outgoing director Stéphane Lissner. He was interviewed with the deputy director Martin Ajdari by the commission in charge of culture in the Senate.
Historical strike and coronavirus
A historic strike in December and January against the reform of special regimes - of which the Opera is the only one to benefit in the world of culture with the Comédie-Française -, then the epidemic of the coronavirus caused losses in ticket sales for the '' around 45 million euros.
In addition, " there are roughly a third of sponsorship revenues that will decrease in 2020, " said Martin Ajdari. Companies, especially medium-sized ones, " are hesitant to invest when they have to ask their employees for efforts and sacrifices " following the pandemic.
A set of donors, intermediary patrons tend to withdraw so we cannot count on these revenues
Martin Ajdari, deputy director of the Paris Opera" We have great historical partners who remain loyal, but there is a whole range of donors, intermediate patrons who tend to fall back so we will not be able to count on these revenues, " added the deputy director.
Stéphane Lissner who, since his arrival at the head of the Opera in 2015, has more than doubled patronage - from 9 to 19 million euros in 2020 - also spoke of the challenge of recovering the public in a complex post context - strikes and post-Covid.
The strikes shocked a large part of the public and part of the subscribers
Stéphane Lissner, director of the Paris Opera“ The strikes greatly shocked part of the public and part of the subscribers; we have had reactions from patrons or subscribers who are extremely angry with what happened, ”said Stéphane Lissner.
Most subsidized scene in France
The Paris Opera, the largest opera house in Europe in terms of seats with the Palais Garnier and the Bastille Opera, is funded 40% by the State and 60% by its own revenues. It is the most subsidized stage in France - 95 million euros from the State for a budget of 230 million.
" The Opera model will not withstand in the future social crises, health crises ", warned Stéphane Lissner, who decided to leave his post at the end of the year, and not as initially planned at the summer 2021, to be replaced by Alexander Neef.
