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Indeed, but if what you want is the view from a seat for a production that's not yet on sale, I think the only way to do it is to find a random on-sale performance for which the seat in question has not yet sold.

On the RT website it says it will "start to appear" in shops from Saturday 7th (now in the past) and should be fully available by tomorrow.

Lise Davidsen has sung in London several times - she won first prize in the Operalia competition the year the Royal Opera House hosted it, and has since sung Verdi's Requiem at the Proms and the Royal Festival Hall, as well as another Prom. I've also heard her sing at Glyndebourne (Ariadne) and Wexford (Medea). And like bangorballetboy, whose reply appeared while I was typing the above paragraph, I too am most interested in the upcoming Fidelio because of her.

One thing I really hate is when people - including people I know - take the opportunity of a 2-minute scene change, or the moment after the applause starts at the end, to say related but irrelevant things, like asking me if I saw such-and-such a cast last week or last run. Kindly let me focus on what I'm currently at, and maybe we can talk about the other casts later!

If it was in Stalls Circle Standing Right, I think it was me.

Sorry for the off-topic remark, but THANK YOU - I don’t often book holidays as such, but had been looking at a particular option (actually a choice between two) and, after reading your post, I checked if either of them had a deal on. And one of them had basically a third off. So I’m now booked, thanks to you!

I would be interested to know what his exact words were, given that many of his most popular productions (Rigoletto, The Mikado for example) are updated to other periods!

The actor, director and writer Jonathan Miller has died... https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/jonathan-miller-death-dies-theatre-director-writer-beyond-the-fringe-a9219786.html

The one I particularly recall was in the front row of the Balcony. I'm aware of the general sightline there, through the handrail, but there was a bracket or something attached to the outside of the ledge which cut right through my view.

A small word of warning on these; last year I used a From the Box Office deal to book for some ENB Manons, and ended up in seats with an unadvertised view restriction (which because I had bought them through a third party, the Coliseum staff wouldn't do anything about).

You're probably right. I remember the feature, but even just after my above post I started thinking it was probably earlier.

Didn't they talk about this in some detail during the class footage from World Ballet Day 2018?

I was at opening night yesterday and thought it was utterly stunning including in its use of dance. Elizabeth McGorian's character was a non-dancing role (just a "impossibly elegant lady of a certain age" wordless acting part, which I'm sure you can imagine plays to one of her other strengths!) and besides Leo Dixon, there was a substantial supporting ensemble of non-RB dancers. Dixon was terrific. More thoughts later on the Opera & Music forum - as I'm at work, I imagine somebody else will get there first.

I think the Florine tutu always makes everybody look lovely and slender. But I don't have a problem with the Lilac Fairy costume on the curvier dancers I've seen in it - I haven't seen Magri, but think Claire Calvert looks stunning in it. Admittedly I never saw the old costumes.

It is just that date, yes. There are fares as low as £6.40 each way on Chiltern, if you don’t mind the longer duration.

All sorted! And had a stroke of luck re seat availability... thanks to the Hippodrome website going down about an hour ago, just as I was trying to book my one "good enough" ticket option. I checked again just now and was able to get an aisle seat in the fourth row! Even if I did have to phone them to get them to override the "must not leave a single seat available" rule. Got a very chatty, very camp box-office assistant, who thought it was hilarious that I knew both a) the precise seat availability for that performance and b) my credit card number off by heart

Worth adding, however, that there is also a performance in Poole, Dorset, three days earlier. https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/2020/bso-elektra/

I booked mine last week! It's a disgrace that Catherine Foster never gets employed in the UK.

Thanks Jan - very helpful.

Not too late at all, Lizbie1, so thank you. Another question - maybe one for Jan... is the Hippodrome good at putting returns online? The performance I have my eye on has one (and only one) seat available that's pretty acceptable to me (yes, an expensive one - but having sold on half my RB Coppelia tickets in order to go on holiday, I could certainly run to it) but am wondering whether it's crucial that I snap it up now, or whether it's a safe bet that odd returns will turn up elsewhere if I keep checking? And while I'm on the subject, some of you fellow Londoners or others not in the immediate vicinity of Birmingham may be interested to know that the final performances in the Nutcracker run, on 14th December, have been re-timed to 1pm and 6pm. This makes the evening performance much easier to get home from than usual, with a variety of route options.

Thank you both - very helpful!

Can any of you comment on the sightlines from the back of the Stalls at the Birmingham Hippodrome? I'm tempted to go and see their Nutcracker (and have no desire to do so at the Royal Albert Hall). I know the Hippodrome pretty well from having seen WNO operas there, but have always sat near the front and know there's quite an overhang. I know the rake is pretty good, but does the overhang cut off the top of the stage to any significant degree?

I started a thread on this in the News and Information forum yesterday morning...

Thanks - I had a feeling I'd read something about it on here before, but my search didn't bring up any results...

While looking for something on the ROH website this morning, I happened upon the fact that this has recently appeared: https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/the-margot-fonteyn-international-ballet-competition-details "The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition 2020 (formerly the Genée International Ballet Competition), presented by the Royal Academy of Dance, offers the finest young dancers trained by RAD teachers from around the globe the opportunity to compete on a world stage. Previous award winners have gone on to careers with some of the most respected international ballet companies, including The Royal Ballet. Candidates are coached by an international faculty before competing in the semi-finals, held this year in the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 September 2020. Booking for the semi-finals will open in early 2020. Finalists will then dance in front of an esteemed panel of judges, including Dame Darcey Bussell, in a spectacular performance on the Main Stage on Saturday 5 September 2020. Priority tickets are now on sale to RAD Members. General booking opens in April 2020. More information can be found at royalacademyofdance.org/fonteyn2020."