In Saturday’s (4/11) Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio), Janelle Gelfand writes that for this year’s Lumenocity festival, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is making “changes intended to improve the experience for the audience, help the event stand on its own financially, and sustain the marketing boost that the show originally provided. For the first time, the show, which is presented by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, will charge admission for the four performances—one more than last year—and one dress rehearsal set for August 5 to 9. Prices will range from $15 to $20 per ticket.… Due to public safety concerns, the capacity of the viewing lawn in Washington Park has been reduced by more than half per night—to 6,000 per show—and blankets, coolers and large strollers are banned…. ‘We got a tremendous amount of feedback last year, that people would be willing to pay a modest amount to participate in the event,…’ symphony president Trey Devey said.… Lumenocity has been a bold and innovative initiative for one of the oldest and most distinguished orchestras in the nation. Slated to cost $1.4 million, orchestra officials fell short in fundraising by $400,000, and were faced with the dilemma of either not presenting Lumenocity this year or charging attendees a fee.”
Posted April 14, 2015
