Comments on: Do online previews enhance or ruin a performance?

By: Rob Lindsay

Rob Lindsay — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:23:41 +0000

Thank you both for your comments!

Whenever a new ballet approaches I’m never sure if time is better spent offering a preview video of the piece, or simply spending the time on writing clear, accessible introductory notes. While clips are obviously more dynamic, I’m aware that simple introductory notes can be more explicitly informative and potentially beneficial to the audience.

Thankfully we always try and create a variety of items, so we don’t have to choose just one or the other, but with so many ways of offering these previews online, it’s interesting to hear which ones people think offer the most worth.

By: Review: Dancers in Verdi’s Othello

Review: Dancers in Verdi’s Othello — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:04:14 +0000

[...] show runs until 19 December and we don’t want to spoil it for new audiences (join our debate about whether online content ruins or enhances viewing here) but since the production restored the [...]

By: Marc Kirschner

Marc Kirschner — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:55:23 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly with the above – the best thing you can possibly do is empower the audience to feel more knowledgeable about the work (or the art). In fact, I even believe you can show someone a high quality video of the entire performance, and that will increase ticket sales (something we’re going to be putting to the test shortly).

Also – these clips will have a longer-term value as well… particularly as dance continues to push into the digital area and reach wider audiences.

By: Alice Lagnado

Alice Lagnado — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:12:57 +0000

R, I think you already know my view – all these things are wonderfully helpful, educational, and bottom line – they help you decide what to spend your money on. Some things, I’m not sure about, and seeing a clip helps persuade me – usually to buy a ticket, rather than not. Plus it’s great if you are taking someone who’s not that into ballet- you can show them some notes or send a clip. Plus this opens ballet and dance up to more people. I always think that if everyone could sit where the critics get to sit, and go to many performances, they’d love dance, but if you save up and go to one show, and it doesn’t work out, then that’s harder. So the more you can do before, during and after, the better.