MAD AS HELL

Mad as Hell is an occasional feature in which readers may express their views on issues related to the arts and entertainment. Let the phrase uttered by Howard Beale (as portrayed by Peter Finch, left, in the movie “Network”) be your guide: “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

Psst! Wanna Buy a Ticket?

Why are the arts in trouble? Why do classical concert series always need to be bailed out by wealthy patrons? I’ve got one answer. They have made it so annoying to buy a ticket that many potential buyers quit in disgust.

I knew the concert I wanted to attend at UCLA. But I couldn’t just call and place my order. They have a new voice-mail system that insists on telling you, in a funereally paced voice, their complete schedule, about five minutes worth, with “Press 1 if Royce Hall, tick, tick, tick; Press 2 if Schoenberg, tick, tick, tick . . .” before you get the opportunity to buy.

So I decided to call Ticketmaster. Did you know that they are not listed in the phone book? So I went to the garbage and got the slightly smelly Sunday Calendar section, where they had deigned to include their phone number. Multiple busy signals. Multiple redials. Finally got through. Put on hold. Not even music on hold. Worse. Ads . Not even for musical events. For sausages and who knows what else. For more than five minutes.

Well, I decided to call the Music Center at the number they advertise in the paper and on the radio. Busy. Redial. Hold. Got through. They don’t sell tickets at that number. Just give schedules. I already knew what I wanted. How do you get tickets? Ticketmaster !

So who goes to these classical concerts? Surely only people who can have their secretaries order the tickets for them. Where is the rest of the audience for classical music in L.A.? Sitting home with KKGO and their CD players.

HARVEY S. FREY

Santa Monica