Consumer rights groups in Italy have called on the city of Rome and the Italian Olympic Committee to stop Barbra Streisand from performing at the city's Stadio Flaminio next month because they claim ticket prices are too high. The Adusbef and Codacons groups have called the ticket price range that goes from 150 euros (£100) to 900 euros (£600) "absurd and shameful".
Of course, it is not the first time the high prices of tickets to Streisand's concerts have been in the news. At one point ahead of her last tour some commentators speculated that the high price tickets might backfire on Streisand and her promoters because early indications were that ticket sales were slow. However, in the end tickets sales were good, helping Streisand score the second highest grossing tour of 2006, second only to the Rolling Stones. That said, Reuters is reporting that all but the cheapest tickets are still available for the 15 Jun concert in Rome, suggesting sales may not be going so well there. However, tickets for the singer's first date at London's The O2, where ticket prices are similar to those in Rome, sold out in just twenty minutes, and promoters have added a third date there.
Aside from public demand, promoters of the Steisand tour might also try to justify the high ticket prices by pointing out that the singer is touring with a 58 piece orchestra. However, that is unlikely to convince Adusbef or Cadacon that the prices are justified. They concluded their demand that the Rome concert be cancelled by saying that the Stadio Flaminio is "public property" and "cannot be used for immoral deals that are shameful to a civilised country".