Douglas McLennan: Opera Must Reclaim Digital Infrastructure from Big Tech

In a Spring 2026 Opera America Magazine article, Douglas McLennan, founder of ArtsJournal, argues that opera companies must build their own AI-driven digital infrastructure to survive. He cites OPERA America data showing that since 1999, average operating expenses at larger companies have nearly doubled while productions dropped by a third. Box office income has fallen from 41% of revenue to 12–20%. New ticket buyers are up 15% but are less likely to become subscribers. McLennan contends that Big Tech platforms have redefined value, shifting it from creative content to traffic, and have severed artist-audience relationships. He proposes that opera companies create "digital twins"—institution-owned AI models trained on their specific productions and community data—to own the relational infrastructure. This would allow direct engagement rather than renting audience relationships from platforms. McLennan sees two opportunities: the current destruction of civic institutions (e.g., Kennedy Center closures) making the case for rebuilding visible, and AI enabling dematerialized spectacle and interactive experiences. He warns that without action, opera will again be locked out of the infrastructure connecting it to communities.