AB Live: Business of theatre | Phantom of the Opera impact in the UAE

Описание: Dubai Opera to announce a hologram show
Following the success of The Phantom of The Opera, Dubai Opera is all set to announce its new lineup of events, including a show incorporating hologram technology.

The longest running show for Dubai Opera, The Phantom of the Opera, saw a surge in multiple week engagements and midweek demands such that on a Monday night it sold 91% of the tickets.
After the success of The Phantom of the Opera, Dubai Opera is soon going to announce its first Hologram based show.
“We already see technology having a big presence in our big productions like the magic behind the Phantom of the Opera. The walls can disappear, floors can rise. And people walk in and ask where’s the other venue?”, said Mehdi Aoustin-Sellami, Director of Programming and Head of Dubai Opera.
The Phantom of the Opera has also helped in promoting the venue tremendously. “Its brought us new audiences. It is the longest running show that Dubai Opera has ever had. 30 performances in total”, he said.
Staging a show of this scale comes with its own set of challenges and one of the major ones is people’s perception of Dubai. “Dubai is seen as a city that throws a lot of money. And even this perception that we can charge astronomical ticket prices because everyone in Dubai has a lot of money. But the reality is it is like any other city and we have to be mindful of not pricing people very high”, he said.
Another challenge is its geographical location, far from where the artists, sets and play are originally from. “When we are trying to attract these international productions, convincing them to come here and cost of bringing the people and the sets here is a challenge”, he said.
And therefore, opening up of Saudi’s tourism industry, according to him, is more of a boon for this region than a bane. “The audiences are growing and it creating a network whether it be Saudi, Oman, Kuwait or Bahrain, we actually become more attractive as a touring route”, he explained.