16/17 season review of Konzert Theater Bern
The 2016/17 season was the most successful in the history of Konzert Theater Bern to date, despite a shortened season due to renovations, fewer performances (404 instead of 429) and a 140-seat reduction due to the new seating plan.
The concerts and performances generated 136,176 admissions, 1,810 fewer than in the 2015/16 season (137,986). In economic terms, the house remains on a consolidation course, according to its own assessment. For the fifth time in a row, the income statement closed with a slight surplus (CHF 15,804). The performance income amounted to CHF 5,228,757 (previous year: CHF 4,937,530).
The Kubus on Waisenhausplatz, the temporary venue during the renovation of the theater, generated a further 9,000 admissions. A total of 125 performances took place in the Kubus, with a total admission figure of around 32,786 and an average occupancy rate of 70.3 percent. The music theater was able to Faust, Le Nozze di Figaro, Tannhäuserthe children's opera Trip to Tripiti and the resumption of Magic flute achieved an average occupancy rate of 95%, increasing the number of admissions by around 700 compared to the previous year's season.
The Bern Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Mario Venzago played its last season in the "old" Kultur Casino, which was closed in July 2017 for a two-year complete renovation. The number of admissions to the BSO's concert program rose from 47,632 to 48,343. The BSO also traveled to China for the first time this season.
