As the general public has become more educated, many intellectual-artists I've met have become more disparaging of the public's intellectual incapacities and other moral shortcomings.

There is no need to "teach the audience". In 1940 for example, in the United States more than half of the U.S. population had only an eighth-grade education, or less. Now 85 percent are high-school graduates, 53 percent have some college education and 27 percent are college graduates. However it is an article of faith among many artist-intellectuals that the public is becoming increasingly obtuse, bigoted and superstitious.

Please do not underestimate the intelligence of your audience. Today's audiences have hundreds of musical options available and the fact that they are attending your performance should be considered an honor.