Tickets for the next concert range from $22 to $72. The lowest-priced tickets are in the back three rows, underneath the balcony, on the far left and right edges of the hall. This puts 29 to 30 rows of heads in front of you, and your view would be less than ideal from that position if you were the only people in the audience. The hall is poorly air-conditioned — we were all suffocating by the time the concert ended — and so one can only imagine how uncomfortable it would be in the back, beneath an overhang. Given that an affordable ticket seats you where you can’t see the orchestra, I’d rather listen to one of the major urban classical stations on iTunes, kicked back in an easy chair in my living room with a nice glass of wine at my side.

However, the Society moved its venue from the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts to a church. When I was on the board, the society was constantly squabbling with the Scottsdale Center, so I guess a final straw must have settled on someone’s back.

At any rate, I can’t say I relish spending two or three hours in a pew (ouch!) and so haven’t pursued it. Guess I should get over that and go do it.

Oh…Your comment reminds me of another way to get FREE ADMISSION to plays and concerts: Volunteer as an usher!

Some years ago a friend put me on to this: many performing arts venues use volunteers as ushers, and when you take on that job, you get to see every performance for free.

Sorry to hear you were out-frugalled!

Colleges have a wealth of free and low-cost performances.

Museum memberships are reasonable and museums often host performances of various kinds.

It’s funny you cited Mr. FS’s post. We were out-frugalled by a colleague who said that Jazzfest weekend also has free concerts in Baton Rouge. He scoffed at our Jazzfest spending!