Secondary Ticketing and Classical Music Institutions: The Opéra de Paris and the Vienna New Year’s Concert

[PRE-RELEASED VERSION]

Carlo Alberto Petruzzi

Carlo Alberto Petruzzi (PhD, MBA) is an independent scholar and consultant. Amongst his research interests are cinema, theatre, and cultural management. His most recent books include Carmelo Bene a Cannes (2025) and Carmelo Bene: une bibliografia (2018). He translated into Italian works by Guillaume Apollinaire and the Goncourt brothers and created the first book series of opera librettos translated into Chinese. His writings have been published in California Italian Studies, Italica, Mimesis Journal, and Journal of Italian Cinema and Media Studies.

ABSTRACT
In recent years, the professional ticket resale market has evolved into a multibillion-dollar industry, expanding its reach across various sectors, including sports, music events, and art institutions. Secondary ticketing significantly influences how tickets are sold in the primary market, prompting organizers to respond in various ways — some try to prevent ticket resale, while others choose to collaborate with resellers. This case study examines the impact of secondary ticketing on classical music institutions, focusing on two prominent players in the field: the Opéra de Paris and the New Year’s Concert by the Wiener Philharmoniker. The Opéra de Paris, a publicly subsidized organization, embraces resale as a strategy rather than prohibiting it, whereas the Wiener Philharmoniker, operating as a private foundation, has opted to allocate tickets for its highly sought-after New Year’s Concert exclusively through a lottery system.
KEYWORDS
Secondary ticketing; Classical music; Arts institutions; Opera houses; Symphonic orchestras; Arts management; Public funding