Number of opera and ballet halls on rise

ISTANBUL

The number of opera and ballet halls increased by 25 percent compared to the previous season in 
2013-2014 to reach 15, while the number of seats increased 51.8 percent to 10,288, according to a new Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) report on Opera, Ballet, Orchestra, Choir and Group Statistics. 

Accordingly, six orchestras, 13 choirs and nine groups were affiliated last year with the Directorate of Fine Arts in Turkey. 

The number of opera and ballet halls increased by 16.7 percent in the last four seasons, while the number of seats showed an increase of 102.6 percent. 

However, in comparison with the 2012-2013 season, the number of works staged in opera and ballet halls decreased by 19.7 percent to 188 in the 2013-2014 season. The number of national works staged in opera and ballet halls decreased by 19.7 while the number of foreign works decreased by 19.6 percent. 

In the same term, the number of opera and ballet viewers increased by 6.7 percent to hit 400,420. 

Audience figures, meanwhile, also dropped with spectator numbers for national works decreasing 16 percent and numbers for foreign works plummeting 38.9 percent year on year.


Decrease in orchestra viewer numbers

In the 2013-2014 season, 412 artists worked for the orchestras affiliated with the General Directorate of Fine Arts, 41.3 percent of whom were women. 

The number of shows made by the orchestras did not change in comparison to the previous season, coming in at 212. However, the number of viewers saw a 7.5 percent decrease to fall to 141,393. 

During the last four seasons, the number of orchestra shows increased by 15.8 percent, while the number of viewers increased by 12.7 percent. 

Thirty-eight percent of 701 artists working for the choirs were women. The occupation of vocal arts featured the highest rate of women artists at 53.90 percent. 

The number of choir shows fell to 168 – a 32 percent decrease – and the number of viewers fell to 69,250, representing a 30.4 percent decrease. 

In the 2013-2014 season, 384 artists worked for groups affiliated with the General Directorate of Fine Arts, 
with 27.1 percent of their employees being women. 

The number of shows made by groups decreased by 9.9 percent to 183. In the same period, the number of viewers fell to 205,510 – a 10.3 decrease.