The Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts has attracted renowned artists and speakers such as anthropologist Jane Goodall, violinist Itzhak Perlman and the Cirque de Soleil performers.
Tickets for in-demand events such as these have not been readily available to students in the past. Because tickets are released early to subscribers, most of whom are not students, the student body has great difficulty in obtaining single-event tickets to high demand events.
This year, the Mondavi Center has implemented a new initiative to encourage and ensure student attendance. Ten percent of inventory for each performance has been reserved for student sale – tickets that would have otherwise sold out to the general public. These tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, and will be offered only to students until the sale ends Oct. 29 or until tickets sell out.
Reserving student tickets is another step toward bringing the student community closer to an acclaimed entertainment venue. The Mondavi Center is seen as a campus institution, and rather than acting separately from the university, it’s commendable that its staff is making efforts to bring UC Davis students to performances easily and to present these opportunities at more affordable costs.
Although setting aside tickets for students is a step that is long overdue, the Mondavi Center has always worked to provide an extra advantage to students. In addition to this special student ticket sale, all student tickets, including series subscriptions, for Mondavi concerts are discounted at 50 percent off, a discount that isn’t offered at many other campuses. Other efforts, such as the Curriculum Connections program and the Freshman Free Ticket program, also offer affordable tickets and guaranteed seating.
The Mondavi Center attracts esteemed performers from around the world, and it has a convenient on-campus location. Now it has found an economical way to present these opportunities to students.
