MADISON, Wis. -- The Overture Center is due to open up in less than two weeks. Some wonder if they'll be able to afford going to the shows.

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Just looking at the huge $205 million building, designed by a world-class architect, it's easy to see why people think they would be priced out, but that may not be the case.

In addition to the more than 120 free performances this year, most prices remain the same, News 3 reported.

Overture officials say 100,000 people attended various arts functions at the Civic Center last year, 25 percent of the population, and they expect even more this year.

Still, it hasn't stopped the talk or e-mails. Like this one, "It seems this is something only for the rich to enjoy and the rest of us to pay the bill."

"Are the arts for the rich only? I don't think so. Is music for the rich only? No!" said Overture benefactor Jerry Frautschi.

Overture president Bob D'Angelo said ticket prices are higher for some special performance, such as "The Phantom," but "the prices are the same or lower than we've done before."

Ticket prices are comparable to what we have paid in the past, News 3 reported. Tickets are only higher for the bigger extravagant shows that haven't been able to play at the Civic Center.

"It isn't elitist at all," Frautschi said.

Still, e-mails to News 3 say they doubt they'll ever see the inside of the Overture Center: "While others are praised for donating dollars to make this a reality, who benefits? Certainly not me or my friends. We will never be able to see anything in there."

Frautschi said all kinds of groups will be using the facilities. "What we have done here is provided public spaces, encouragement areas for local artists," he said.

"We're building a $100 million renovation of a football stadium -- not everything in every community is for everybody," D'Angelo said. "But she needs to appreciate it is for a lot of people."

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