Symphony Fans Get A ‘Phantom’ Break

Sun., March 21, 1999

By Jim Kershner jimkershner@comcast.net

Spokane Symphony subscribers get first dibs on opening night of “The Phantom of the Opera” on Feb. 23.

Individual tickets for “Phantom” (as opposed to season tickets) won’t go on sale to the general public until fall, but symphony subscribers can get opening-night tickets now as an added-value benefit for buying symphony season tickets.

This deal, worked out with the people at Cavanaughs Entertainment, helps atone for the fact that the symphony will be shut out of its home for more than a month in the middle of its season. “Phantom” will run for at least three weeks at the Spokane Opera House, and it also requires a load-in time of 10 days before the show and load-out time of a week.

Negotiations between all of the competing interests at the Opera House were, at times, tense.

So this should help take the sting out of this situation for the symphony, as well as providing a nice little perk for symphony subscribers.

The symphony has just announced its new season, which features the violinist Midori and world-famous conductor Gunther Schuller.

Both new and renewing subscribers can get information about the season and the “Phantom” deal by calling the symphony box office at 624-1200.

`Phantom’ fever

Early returns indicate that the big, risky Best of Broadway season is a hit, so far. The season includes “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables,” “Miss Saigon” and “Showboat.”

On the Friday after the announcement of the lineup, season ticket seekers were reporting that it took them hours to get through on the G&B Select-a-Seat phone lines.

Even as late as Monday, five days after the announcement, there were still long lines at the Opera House and Spokane Arena box offices.

The Cavanaughs Entertainment people are thrilled by the response, but still realistic. This sales momentum must keep going for a long time if the risk is going to pay off. Plenty of season tickets are still available.

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