English Touring Opera / Creativeworks / GSMD research into opera in cinemas

The current trend for large opera companies to broadcast their work in cinemas has changed the audience experience of opera. National opera company English Touring Opera (ETO) collaborated in 2013-14 with Creativeworks London and researchers at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (GSMD) on the first academic study of this phenomenon in the UK.

The research explored the appeal of live opera and cinema broadcasts, the emotional experience for audiences of both, and whether lessons from the success of the cinema broadcasts could  be used to increase the audience for live opera.

A series of questionnaires filled out by audience members at opera screenings in 12 cinemas across London was followed by in-depth focus group discussions. The findings were announced jointly by ETO, Creativeworks London and GSMD in May 2014.

A second stage of this research, focusing on audiences for opera in cinemas outside London, took place in late 2014, and results are due to be announced later in 2015.

A list of press coverage for the initial stage of the research announced in May 2014 is given before. For more information on the research in general please click here

Image by Richard Hubert Smith 

‘Opera in Cinemas: is it creating new audiences?’ – The Guardian

‘News: Opera screenings failing to boost interest in the art form, survey finds’ – The Stage Website

Image by Richard Hubert Smith

‘Only 15% of cinema opera audiences say it’s made them more likely to go live. But that’s no disaster’ – Classical Music Magazine

‘Cinema v opera house: John Suchet kicks off the debate’ John Suchet blog post on Classic FM website on the research  –  Classic FM (Web)

‘Survey of Opera Cinema Screenings Inconclusive’ – Event Cinemawebsite

‘Does cinema create new opera audiences?’: Intermezzo

‘Opera Screenings Do Not Drive Actual Opera Attendance, Study Finds’ – Celluloid Junkie