Who doesn’t love a sold-out opera house? In a hall stuffed to its gills with enthusiastic attendees, the energy and excitement is palpable, lobby conversations crackle in intermissions, and the opera seems like the place to be. In addition to providing good ticket revenue, high turnout can energize donors, volunteers, and artists alike. It’s important to note, however, that ticket sales don’t tell the whole story. They’re just one metric for quantifying a “successful” show or season, and not necessarily even the most important metric at that.