Published on 06/15/05
BY MINDY SPAR
Of The Post and Courier Staff
Ominous weather and a controversial theater piece couldn’t dampen Spoleto Festival 2005’s revenue spirits.
Box-office receipts for the festival came in at a record, about $2,000 more than last year’s figure of $2.53 million. This is the third year in a row the festival has set a sales record.
It’s a small increase but an increase nonetheless, which is always sure to please festival organizers and its board of directors.
“I’m pleased to death,” festival General Manager Nigel Redden said on Tuesday. “It’s always nice to have a record, although one always wants more of a record.”
There were a few setbacks that could have negatively affected the festival. Jazz great Shirley Horn was forced to cancel because of health reasons; heavy rains early in the festival forced some of the outdoor activities indoors; and this year’s play “Mabou Mines Dollhouse” was met with mixed reviews, as well as controversy.
But those were outweighed by the strength of the program. The operas were hits. “Don Giovanni” was a sellout and “Die Voegel” and “La bella dormente nel bosco” were audience favorites. As always, the Chamber Music series and the Festival Concert did well, as did the new one-person show series “Solo Turns.”
“I always worry,” Redden said. “But during the rehearsal period, it became clear that the productions were extremely strong and, at a certain point, that is what is most important to me, that what we put on the stage be wonderful. And we succeeded in putting on a terrific festival this year, and I’m proud of how it turned out.”
Spoleto board member Denise Barto wasn’t surprised that the festival did well financially. She said she was impressed with the scope of this year’s festival.
“What was particularly good was the depth of the performances,” she said. “There were three operas, all of which were unique and memorable. Certainly ‘Don Giovanni’ at Memminger was a magical use of space where patrons could sit within feet of the orchestra. This was one of the best festivals, not because the others were lacking, but because this festival produced stellar work.”
Last year, Redden told The Post and Courier that he judges the festival’s success by how many people tell him it was the best festival yet.
“An enormous number of people did say it was the best festival ever,” Redden said Tuesday. “Every year some people say it, but this year they said, ‘This time I really, really mean it.’ ”
The festival indeed evoked passionate responses from festival-goers, whether intense loathing for “Mabou Mines Dollhouse” or fervent enthusiasm for “Don Giovanni,” or vice-versa.
People were out and about talking about this year’s Spoleto program lineup.
“Overall, it seemed that people liked the festival, which to me is the bottom line,” Redden said.