New Management Paradigms Determined By The Pandemic: The Digital Revolution In The Opera Sector

This paper analyses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digitization process of the opera sector under the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis. Surviving in a time of humanitarian disaster was a great challenge for opera houses, which faced new challenges. Most of the world’s opera houses survived this crisis, but in different ways. The authors identify three different categories of approach of digital technologies in response to the hostility of the environment, depending on the status and brand power of each opera house, the sustainable validity of competitive advantages, and the loyalty of audiences. Evidence collected from personal observations are presented. A comparative analysis of the management of opera houses in different areas of the globe was conducted to examine how they have embraced digitization to stay in touch with audiences during the pandemic. We have identified solutions like online concerts, broadcasting shows and concerts on radio and TV, using shows from the archives, and organising online museum tours. These provided joy in hard times to the public, hope and motivation, to escape the dark and sad reality. The results are discussed with reference to two ideal types of pandemic-induced pathways: back to the old normal vs. forward to the new normal. The influences that determine the differences in strategies are also considered: tradition, national context, leadership, knowledge, digital capability of the staff, etc. From an academic perspective, this article enriches the current understanding of the adaptation of the management model of opera houses in a hostile environment and provides managers with concrete guidelines on the systematic adaptation of their business models in hostile situations.