Art & Design
Melbourne Theatre Company An Affordable Indulgence
Posted by Carla Sammut
07. Nov, 2010
Have you vaguely been interested in going to the theatre or trying the opera but have no idea where to start? Are you under 30 and under paid? Thankfully Melbourne Theatre Company and Opera Australia have you covered. Youth programs are brilliant and are about 50% cheaper than the full price tickets, the catch - you just have to go mid week. Working under the cunning guise of helping you out when what they are really hoping is you will become more accustomed or addicted to going to the theatre. And it works. I’ve done three years of youth passes and I am hooked for life.
Opera Australia is pretty straight forward (purchased before your 31st birthday). For their 2011 season you can buy 3, 4 or 5 operas individually programmed for $165, $220 or $275 - for the absolute novice I would recommend La Boheme, The Mikado and Don Giovanni. If you would like to go with someone (or a full paying person) Series Y - Weekday Evenings is available to you with 5 operas (preset - La Boheme, Macbeth, The Pearlfishers, La Traviata).
Melbourne Theatre Company also straight forward (purchased before your 30th birthday), however the package of plays are larger. Smallest package is 7 then incrementally up to 12 (the whole season). 7 plays on a youth package is $175 with no day/date restriction. Plays I think will be absolutely mind blowing: Hamlet (this will be the best thing on the Australian stage next year), Apologia and the Importance of Being Ernest. Plays I think have excellent potential: Clyborne Park, Don Parties On and Next to Normal. Take a punt on something else to round off your 7.
Always read the subscription/ticket package details in the back of festival catalogues. Most festivals have youth packages or discounts to be gleaned in some other way (Arts Festival used to have youth tickets - $25 each, this year you get concession for being a RRR subscriber).
MTC Season 2011 : http://www.mtc.com.au/tickets/index.aspx?season=future§ion=mainstage
Opera Australia 2011 : http://www.ebooks.geongroup.com/opera/2011Melbourne/index.aspx
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