Hello Andreas and USA members of the group,
I have been thinking about the 2010 tour of the USA's east coast. The 2008 tour of the west coast was cancelled for financial reasons. If the Atlanta and Houston venues were any indication, the 2005 tour was not sold out.
I have heard concern about the success of the tour because the World Equestrian Games are also in 2010. Many US folks will only be able afford to go to one or the other. The concern is that many would choose to spend their vacation money on travelling to see the WEG rather than to see the SRS. If that happened, the 2010 tour might not be a financial success for the School. If the tour is not successful financially, the fear is that it would be many years before the School would visit us again.
Here, it is not like Europe. When the School visits a European country, most of the audience can get to a performance by local public transportation or automobile in a short time. Here, it can take a day of travel by airplane to get to the east coast for a performance. By car, it might take longer even if you are in the same state! For example, the Houston venue in 2005. It takes at least 12 hours to drive across Texas.
Has the School considered the apparent competition with the WEG? Does it make a difference? Many people who go to see the School (on tour or in Vienna) are not horse people but just ordinary folk who love beauty and harmony.
Is the "competition" between the WEG and the SRS for an audience real?
For me, it is "no contest". Jan and I will go to at least one of the east cost cities to see the School in 2010.
John
Hello Cardova and Andreas, Thanks for the heads up on 2010. I live in California so the cancelation of the West Coast tour is very disappointing, indeed. When the issue of financial concern for the SRS comes up, I only know what Ms Sommersacher emailed me when I inquired about the adoption program. I was informed that the SRS has no financial problems whatever and when I further inquired about the details of the program, I was ignored repeatedly. So much for privatization. As a former CEO, I would have her head by sundown. As you can imagine, a check will not be on its way anytime soon. Regretfully, Eichendorf
AntwortenLöschenI was disappointed also when the West coast tour was cancelled. However, for me, it is a blessing in disguise, since I travel to Europe about once a year or so - and this time, I was able to arrange to go see the SRS in Vienna, and I should be able to do this again in the future (maybe spend a few days and see the morning exercises and so on...). This time, just one day - the performance on the 11th. I much prefer to see the SRS in Vienna!
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