Santa Fe Opera

Following the cancellation of its 2020 season due to COVID-19, Santa Fe Opera (SFO) prepared for a strong return in 2021. When tickets went on sale demand soared – resulting in the largest single revenue day in the company’s history, with four times the previous record and triple the usual donations. This success was powered by SFO’s newly launched website and optimised purchase path, developed in collaboration with Substrakt and Tessitura.

The challenge

SFO needed a seamless, mobile-friendly and efficient online purchasing experience that could handle high traffic while integrating with Tessitura’s hosted ticketing system, TN Express Web (TNEW). The goal was to:

• Ensure branding consistency between the marketing site and TNEW
• Improve the user experience with an intuitive ticketing journey
• Maintain site performance under peak demand

The solution

Seamless integration with TNEW

SFO transitioned to TNEW to simplify maintenance and leverage built-in features including:

• Mobile-optimised design
• Unified cart allowing many types of purchases in one transaction
• Quick donation path
• Mobile ticketing
• Gift certificate purchases and redemption

We then customised the integration to retain key elements of SFO’s previous site while optimising branding and functionality.

Enhanced purchase path & user experience

Custom events calendar: we redesigned the SFO calendar to clearly distinguish between performances and add-ons (e.g., dining, tours), helping users make informed decisions before entering the sales queue

Enclosed checkout process: simplified navigation ensures users stay focused on completing their purchases, reducing drop-offs

Seat selection & visualisation: a custom seat map mirrors the venue’s curved layout, and our ‘view from seat’ functionality helps buyers choose the best seats

High-traffic performance optimisation: load balancing and caching strategies meant the site remained fast and efficient, even under extreme demand

A collaborative approach

We worked really closely with SFO and Tessitura to set clear roles and responsibilities, and maintain transparent communication throughout the project. Key success factors included:

• Cross-departmental collaboration: involving marketing, audience services and PR teams to align goals
• Defining priorities: engaging stakeholders early to understand their needs and expectations

Streamlining processes: adapting business practices to remove unnecessary complexities and enhance efficiency

SFO’s new site has transformed the user experience, strengthened its brand presence, and set a new standard for online ticketing performance.