jmhopton

The ROH reply to my query to Customer Services about lack of a seat view when booking seats.

A new purchase path is being created for the website and during this time the seat view is not available but will return later in the year with a new seat map alongside it.

Please accept our apologies for this inconvenience.

What is a purchase path? A a new seat purchasing package? Is a seat map a seating plan? if so, what's wrong with the old one which I always found clear and easy to use (once you got the size right). Why is it that technical queries have to be answered in jargon?

Still, at least I got a reply.

I think it was the publisher who said the ROH shop would reopen in September and would stock the book. I hope to get a copy when I'm there in Oct.

Great to see Kobborg is back at the ROH. Perhaps sometime in the future we may see his production of La Sylphide again. Its been so long practically all the roles will be debuts; wonderful!

3 hours ago, alison said:

I hadn't been aware that it was necessary to order a copy

Unfortunately I can't see many bookshops stocking it (their loss). I think even Waterstones said they would get it from the publisher, meaning you had to order it. However the ROH shop is stocking it when it reopens in September and if you're a Friend, presumably you can get your 10% off.

I realised later in the evening when I revisited the ROH ticket sales that when I clicked Select and it started egg timing away I needed to click Select again and it then allowed me to select the seat and put it in my basket. I wish I'd thought of that at 9am instead of panicking!

The seat view was also a bit hit and miss, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. 

4 hours ago, alison said:

BTW, is anyone finding the concept of actually booking for a Royal Opera House season, well, a bit strange now ...?

Not really. Too busy trying to get the technology to work to savour the WOW moment of actually booking tickets after so long. Though I had already done it for the  summer concerts so wasn't actually a first.

3 hours ago, LinMM said:

I’ve never been able to cope with multiple bookings to be honest. 
If I am booking say three tickets in one go all for different performances I do them all separately ...one by one!! 
I don’t know if it makes it any more relaxing overall but can usually get one done without panicking about getting that one completed on time ... although of course time is still ticking away having to go in three times! It just feels as if I have more time. 

Might be a good strategy for next time LinMM. Though this time wouldn't have been so bad if my computer hadn't kept egg timing instead of letting me select tickets. It's never done that before.

Yes, they have filmed the Insight days in the past zxDaveM (tried to edit my post but it won't let me copy your quote here) They are free too though unfortunately they've never filmed the interviews. Pity as I'd love to have seen Hayward and Sambe but can't justify an overnight London stay in addition to the performance overnights.

Well, eventually succeeded in booking for Romeo, Giselle and Nutcracker but it was a very stressful experience. Whenever I login and see it says you've got an hour to book I think great, but once you've selected a ticket it seems it defaults to 30 minutes which when you've got 5 or 6 tickets to buy and your equipment starts malfunctioning isn't very long! To start with I got through to the website within a minute of logging on at 9am which was great. Then I went to select my first ticket and it just kept egg timing away as soon as I selected it before I could even put it in my basket. Tried logging out and logging in again but just the same. Felt my stress levels rising and tried my phone which I prefer not to use as selection is quite fiddly on a small screen. Something came up for £122; certainly not within my price range!! I went to get this biro I was given which has a rubber top to it for mobile phone use and this seemed to work not too bad. At least there was no egg timing and once you'd got the size of your seat dot OK I managed to book what I wanted. However, by that time I'd only 5 minutes left to purchase and had problems with my seat certificate number which meant revisiting the original email (nearly 18 months ago when I cancelled Swan Lake).  Though I did get a nice surprise as I realised I actually had 2 gift certificates which was great. Then PayPal was problematic, then I had a message saying I needed to contact the box office which I ignored and put my card details in. Finally it went through!!!!!!! The ROH confirmation email came quickly too. I do think they need to give you a bit longer, though fortunately once I'd started to pay the system seems to recognise this and gave me extra time which is just as well as I ended up taking well over 30 minutes. I'm now going to lie down in a darkened room!

Read the link and it makes the book sound terrific. Definitely a 'must have' though I might wait and get it from the ROH shop with my Friends discount when I'm there for the ballet later on (providing there are any affordable tickets tomorrow!)

I emailed and asked when casting would be available for Raymonda and was told it would probably be October and to sign up for email newsletters (which I already am).

Had an email from the publisher today.

2 hours ago, Fonty said:

One of them, although that one misses out the balances at the end which is a pity.  Haven't watched those clips for ages, but the first thing that strikes me is the speed of the music, which I believe is the correct tempo?  The conductor doesn't hang around, she has to nail those balances spot on.

 

 

  
I know exactly  the move you mean.  I have often thought of mentioning it myself.  What is that move called?  It is so exciting when she does it.

Here is a clip of her performing it with David Blair. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxr5zGy5cMU

The move I'm talking about is 2.07/08 minutes in and is repeated later than I thought (about 2.28) and at the same side, not opposite sides. Don't know why she didn't do both sides. It would have been more symmetrical, but I saw a black and white clip of her doing it with Michael Somes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3veh2lXWxgg) and it was exactly the same. Don't know why no one does it like this now; perhaps they can't! That backbend right at the start as well; awesome! Also the incredible fish dives and the atmosphere of calm and control she exudes. There is a comment underneath from David Blair's daughter, Catherine and she thinks it was filmed about 1963. So Fonteyn would have been in her early forties yet she exudes the charm and vivacity of a young woman half this age. Would we have the RB we know today if it wasn't for trailblazers such as Fonteyn, De Valois and Ashton? We were so incredibly lucky to have all this talent to nurture the growth of British Ballet. In my opinion this performance is difficult to beat (though of course just a personal opinion) and has encouraged me to revisit my Fonteyn performances/documentaries and see how things were done at the start of British Ballet when the 'British style' of control, fast footwork, epaulement etc were more to the fore.

3 hours ago, Pas de Quatre said:

I did see her live several times, and totally agree about her "radience". In Sleeping Beauty the thing I remember most is nkt one of the iconic moments, but the fluidity of her arms in the diagonal stepping forwards en pointe in the last Act solo - just before the sectionmwith the fish dives.

Are we thinking of the same action, Pas de Quatre? For me the most memorable move she makes in SB is in the final pas de deux when she leans over to one side and moves her arms amazingly quickly up and down and around and then repeats it at the other side. I've looked in vain since then for an Aurora to replicate this move but no one has done. An attempt is made today but it's very truncated and half hearted by comparison.  Perhaps it was an Ashton or De Valois move that's got lost over time but it's a shame as its so fast and striking. 

54 minutes ago, FionaE said:

I am assuming this is the same documentary available on ENB On Demand which includes Alina Cojocaru rehearsing Le Corsaire on stage, interviews with Tamara Rojo, etc?  

 

https://ondemand.ballet.org.uk/production/enb-in-paris/

£4.99 for 3 days access

Yes, the actual Corsaire performance starring Alina Cojacaru as Medora and Vadim Muntagirov as Conrad is also available (£7.99)  and their great La Sylphide starring Hernandez (£6.99). I thought from the initial publicity that all were available for a one-off £4.99 but they appear to be priced separately.

SkyArts are showing a doc. about ENBs first visit to Paris, performing Le Corsaire. Broadcast Mon 16th August at the civilized time of 9-10.15pm (perhaps it's dawning on them that an Arts channel needs to be showing some Arts programmes at a time when people actually want to watch them). Then repeated next day at the more usual 7.45-9am. Pity they're not showing Corsaire itself but perhaps they will eventually.

CBeebies are also showing Northern Ballet's Puss-in-Boots Tuesday 17th August 12-12.45pm.

SkyArts are also showing an Ashton triple Thursday 19th August 6.55am-9.05am (reverting to type with the timing, alas.)

it includes Midsummer Nights Dream, Marguerite and Armand and an 'Ashton masterpiece', which I'm assuming is Symphonic Variations as it sounds like Zenaida Yanovsky's farewell performance in Marguerite and Armand.

On 02/08/2021 at 08:55, Jan McNulty said:

Don't forget that the Ch4 documentary about Tom Oakley is on tomorrow night (3rd August) at 11pm.

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/teen-who-cant-live-without-21192800?utm_source=liverpool_echo_newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter2&utm_medium=email

 

Terrific, inspirational doc about the young Liverpudlian, Tom Oakley who's ambition is to join the Ballet Rambert despite living with the time and physically limiting disease of cystic fibrosis. He comes across as a great character and his family are so loving and supportive in doing everything they can to help him achieve his dream. You see him moving furniture around their small terrace house to create space to practice during lockdown and how his initial audition videos to Rambert had to be filmed at home. Made me think of other RB Liverpudlians such as Matthew Ball and Kristen McNally, though of course they didn't have Tom's health problems or the problems of trying to audition during a pandemic. if you missed it, well worth seeing it on catch up.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-boy-who-cant-stop-dancing/on-demand/72250-001

Checking out the ENB prices and they're not too bad at all compared with the ROH. They also have an impressive list of discounts and I was amazed to find I'm entitled to a senior discount of £5 as I'm over 60 even though I haven't yet received my state pension! I'll definitely be booking for Raymonda but does anyone have any idea about casting yet? Will Tamara be dancing Raymonda? Will Alina return? I'd like to see both of them if they're dancing so does anyone have any idea when casting will be announced? I know they're sometimes quite late and obviously, at the moment, casting is even more provisional than usual but still it would be good to know.

I was saying to the publisher I hoped it would be a success  and there might be sequels, given Clement must have written thousands of reviews. He said the book was very substantial and there was a chapter on 'funny' reviews which is great as I've always enjoyed Clement's humour and acerbic wit.

20 minutes ago, oncnp said:

More Insights.....

• Insights: In Conversation with Francesca Hayward (back again)  https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/insights-francesca-hayward-details

• Alessandra Ferri – 40 years with The Royal Ballet https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/insights-alessandra-ferri-details

• Ashton Rediscovered https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/insights-ashton-rediscovered-details

• In Conversation with Marcelino Sambé https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/insights-in-conversation-with-marcelino-sambe-details

Do we know whether any of the Insights will be streamed? I know they don't usually do the Conversation ones which is a pity as I'd love to see Francesca and Marcellino, but I'm hoping they will at least stream the Ashton one as I can't justify a London overnight stay to see it.

Possibly just answered my own question as I've just looked at the details for the Ashton Insight and it says camera filming so hurrah! Also didn't realise it was so long, over 2 hours with an interval. I'm impressed!

Talking of Ashton, I missed the London Ballet Circle interview with Iain Webb and his wife but apparently they said there is a possibility that Sarasota Ballet may visit the UK. Even just a possibility is something to hope for; let's hope if it happens they bring an Ashton programme!

Yes it sounds really interesting, not to mention inspirational, in these dark times.  I noticed one of your links after I posted about the doc. 

SkyArts are also showing the RB 2013 Alice in Wonderland Mon 2nd Aug at 10.15pm-12.25am.

Channel4 is also showing a fascinating sounding documentary on Tues 3rd Aug at 11.05pm, entitled The Boy who can't stop dancing. It is about teenager  Tom Oakley who is obsessed with dancing and who applies to the Rambert Dance School, despite suffering from cystic fibrosis. 

I just contacted the publisher about this book as it still seems to be saying unavailable on Amazon, despite Waterstones still saying the 12th July publication date. I had a very prompt response 

SkyArts are showing what they claim is the Osipova/Acosta Giselle Sunday 8th Aug 6.45am-8.45am.

Also Australian Coppelia Mon 9th Aug at the recklessly late time of 10.15pm-12.15am.

On 24/07/2021 at 19:39, jmhopton said:

Yes I  did wonder if the Mini and Family packages are too good to be true, especially in the current economic climate. 

I did ask Customer Services for package booking dates and was just now told that Friends (I'm assuming that's basic Friends) would be 13th Aug and public booking would be 19th August . Will have to wait and see.

I hadn't seen the page about Mini and Family packages when I emailed them. I think I'll reply and ask them.

Well I had my reply back from Customer Services and, surprise, surprise, the mini and family packages are old news. There are just the total and selected options available as already noted. I did reply back, politely saying perhaps it would be a good idea to remove this page as other people could find it and get confused.

I also asked if you wanted to book a complete ballet package but then find you couldn't attend one performance or any subsequent dates, what would happen? Would your package discount become obsolete or would you just get a voucher for the performance you couldn't attend? I was told you would get a gift voucher so your other performances would still be discounted so that might be helpful to know.

5 hours ago, oncnp said:

Saw this but didn't link as there is no date on it and the Find out more in our News & Features section.  link doesn't actually have any additional information (but it may be coming) and the seats mentioned don't match up (i.e. the seats I'm looking at would not be included). Also the FAQ states

 

We offer two types of packages.  The first is where you can 'Design Your Own' experience, or 'Total' packages that include all the operas or ballets in the given booking period (subject to availability).

 

No mention of Mini or Family (but may be coming). I wish the ROH would take down pages if they no longer apply. If we can all find them, they should certainly be able to. 

Yes I  did wonder if the Mini and Family packages are too good to be true, especially in the current economic climate. 

I did ask Customer Services for package booking dates and was just now told that Friends (I'm assuming that's basic Friends) would be 13th Aug and public booking would be 19th August . Will have to wait and see.

I hadn't seen the page about Mini and Family packages when I emailed them. I think I'll reply and ask them.

Thanks everyone. I too was browsing the price list for Giselle and saw the package prices and was just going to post it and ask when package booking opens when I found it's already been done for me.

To revert to Dawnstar's package query on the 16th June (page 3). The link she provided has now been updated (https://www.roh.org.uk/visit/tickets/advance-booking-packages)  and mentions 'mini packages ' which might suit me

• Mini Packages: offer the chance to see a selection of three productions on fixed dates. You can choose a package of three operas, three ballets or a combination of opera and ballet.

 Also family packages which may be of use to someone.

• Family Packages: offer half-price tickets for under-18s on a selected production. You can request up to two full-price adult tickets, with up to four half-price tickets for under-18s.

When you use this page you click on a link that takes you to the Autumn 2021/22 package page mentioned below so I'm assuming the mini and family packages are still available though I suppose the page may not have been updated.

No indication as to what the discount is or where the seats are. There is no mention of 'mini packages' in the already mentioned link http://www.roh.org.uk/packages unless it's the 'design your own' package with 5% discount for amphi seats or 10% for Stalls Circle or Orchestra Stalls? If so, there is no mention of this package being limited to 3.  

Saying package booking is open 'A week before the standard booking period' for different levels of Friends is a bit vague. Is it an exact week ie the 10th August for bargain basement Friends like me? Will they email out to inform us about package booking or will they hope we'll forget about it and pay full price a week later? It's so long since I booked a package I've forgotten everything about it.