It’s no shock to anyone living in New York that the city is facing a cultural crisis.  Whether it’s due to rising prices caused by inflation, a fraught political climate that’s diverted people attention, or a penchant for living virtually, there’s been little progress made in the cultural sectors of the city as of late; we seem to actually be regressing.  Just recently, Broadway’s longest running show, The Phantom of the Opera, announced that it was closing after 35 years due to the impact inflation, operating costs, and a lack of tourism.  In an interview with the New York Times, producer of the show, Cameron Mackintosh said “There’s much less international tourism. Box office is down 10 to 15 percent on average.”  It’s a double hit to the show that made it impossible to continue operating.

Tourism is the life blood of any city; this is especially true of New York City.  With less tourists visiting, it’s up to native New Yorkers to sustain the arts, which is a behemoth of a task.  With the rising costs of living, it’s become even more untenable for New Yorkers to support the arts.  If you were to take a trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art now, one of the most influential museums in the world, the first thing you’d notice is the crowd, or lack thereof.  In the past, there would’ve been a long que to buy tickets; this is no longer the case.  Many of the museums various wings and exhibits see little foot traffic now.

The same is seen and felt at Lincoln Center.  One of the world’s preeminent performing arts center, it’s home to such illustrious institutions as The Metropolitan Opera, The New York Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet.  The New York City Ballet recently opened their fall season, and one can already notice the lack of attendance.  Pockets of empty seats dot the spacious auditorium which seats up to 2500 people.  They’ve even sectioned off the 4th ring due to lack of ticket sales.  One notices this most during the applause, which used to be loud and enthusiastic, but is now tepid and subdued.  The dancers of the company are aware of this too.  Rising soloist, Mira Nadon, notices this most when she takes her curtain bows, which is a long-standing tradition of the company to do after a piece.  She’s taken notice of the near empty house and says flatly “It’s doesn’t look good.”

A small audience is certainly no less appreciative, but it doesn’t bode well for the city’s cultural currency.  With less attendance, and higher operating costs, budgets will soon have to be cut, and these once glorious organizations will be reduced to a shadow of their former selves.  And with tourism already at an all-time low, the city can’t afford to lose anything that might draw more people back.  Otherwise, any hope for the future of New York City will be lost.

Work Cited

Paulson, M. (2022, September 16). ‘Phantom of the opera,’ Broadway’s longest-running show, to close. The New York Times. Retrieved September 25, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/16/theater/phantom-of-the-opera-broadway-closing.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-phantom-of-the-opera&variant=show®ion=MAIN_CONTENT_1&block=storyline_top_links_recirc