At the Philadelphia Opera, all seats are priced at $11.

This initiative aims to attract a more diverse audience to its performances. The concept was initially envisioned by the designers of the Opéra Bastille: offering all seats at an affordable, uniform price. Now, it's being implemented in Philadelphia. Anthony Roth Costanzo, the new director of the Philadelphia Opera since June 1, has announced that tickets for all performances in the 2024-2025 season will start at $11, regardless of seating category. Wealthier and more generous patrons are encouraged to pay more as part of a "Pick Your Price" scheme. “When a prime seat at the opera no longer costs $150... it changes our relationship with opera,” said Costanzo. The goal is to attract a wider audience, with the idea that those who pay more than the base price will be supporting opera lovers who otherwise cannot afford to attend.

Other Philadelphia venues have already adopted this pricing model, such as Azuka Theatre since 2016 and Philadelphia Theatre Week last year. However, Opera Philadelphia is the largest performing arts company to experiment with this concept. The first production to use the new ticketing model will be the American premiere of Missy Mazzoli's The Listeners in September. Costanzo has noted that this is the most expensive opera the company has ever attempted to produce.

The situation presents some paradoxes. The new director explains, "When I took up my post on June 1, I did a lot of work on the budget and quickly realized we had unpaid bills and a cash flow deficit. We had to raise a significant amount of money quickly." Costanzo says he raised $7 million in about ten weeks, allowing the institution to both pay off debts and implement this new ticketing model. "When we walk into this opera house and see how different the demographics will be because of the Pick Your Price ticketing, it will inspire not only individual donations but also civic action, encouraging corporations and foundations to give."