Cash Crisis At Canada’s Nat’l Ballet

“The National Ballet of Canada is in financial jeopardy following a disappointing season that saw a significant drop in ticket sales… The ballet has a deficit of $448,000 for the 2004-05 fiscal year, bringing its debt to $1,140,000 — with the biggest source of the shortfall occurring at the box office. Combining ticket sales at Hummingbird Centre and box office from touring, the ballet was down $541,000 over the previous season. Audiences appear to have voted with their feet on the merits of last season’s mostly contemporary offerings. The 2003-04 season ended with a deficit of $690,000 — attributed to problems with fundraising and lower than expected government support.”