(PORTLAND, Ore.) – President Scott Showalter announced today that the 2016/17 Season – titled “Like Never Before” for its groundbreaking SoundSights series – has also proven to be like never before in ticket sales revenue, tickets sold, and sold-out concerts.
Annual ticket sales, which continue to buck national trends, have already reached an historic high of $9.4 million and are expected to finish above $9.5 million when the remaining 14% of the season’s performances are complete. The number of tickets sold is also expected to set a new record of nearly 180,000. This strong attendance has resulted in sold out performances for 28% of the 81 season performances to date.
Those numbers are powered by a season that includes a 20% increase in the number of classical performances, three trailblazing SoundSights concerts (Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle with glass by Dale Chihuly, Messaien’s Turangalîla with Rose Bond animation, and the still-to-come concert of Stravinsky’s Persephone with puppets and staging by Michael Curry), and the broadest-ever range of Special Concerts from Boyz II Men and DeVotchKa to Renée Fleming and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The season, parts of which have been enjoyed by 1.2 million radio broadcast listeners on All Classical Portland and American Public Media’s SymphonyCast and Performance Today, has also included the world premieres of two commissioned works.
These figures, when combined with record-setting contributions and the recently announced Gala fundraising record of $1 million, result in an annual budget projected to reach $18.5 million, an 11% increase over last year and a 35% increase compared to four years ago.
“We are pleased that the quality of the orchestra’s performances, the breadth of our offerings, and our artistic innovations have been so well received by the community,” Showalter said. “We look forward to providing the region even more next year with our Sounds of Home series.”
The 2016/17 Classical Season will conclude on May 22 with the final performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, and the overall season will close with the May 23 performance of ukulele phenomenon Jake Shimabukuro. The Symphony is on track to finish the season in the black, which would mark the 8th consecutive year of balanced budgets.
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