John Mallinson Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Aileen, does being an RB Friend get the member a discount or just priority booking? … Unfortunately there are no discounts for Friends, the idea being that we support the Opera House rather than the other way round. The privileges are for priority booking and access to rehearsals, though not all productions have Friends' rehearsals. You also get a free quarterly magazine. It used to be the case that Insight evenings and the like were Friends-only events but they became available to all and sundry several years ago. There are six levels of ROH Friend, ranging from Young Friend at £58 to Premium 2 at £2,025, or you can be a Patron for £3,509 and up. Each level of Friend has priority booking on different days over the one below, so an ordinary Friend (£96) is fifth in the queue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Unfortunately there are no discounts for Friends, the idea being that we support the Opera House rather than the other way round. The privileges are for priority booking and access to rehearsals, though not all productions have Friends' rehearsals. You also get a free quarterly magazine. It used to be the case that Insight evenings and the like were Friends-only events but they became available to all and sundry several years ago. There are six levels of ROH Friend, ranging from Young Friend at £58 to Premium 2 at £2,025, or you can be a Patron for £3,509 and up. Each level of Friend has priority booking on different days over the one below, so an ordinary Friend (£96) is fifth in the queue. You are able to buy "packages" for either the opera or ballet or a mix of both in the stalls or amphitheatre where you get the same seat and they do offer a discount for doing it. I am a Friend+ which covers myself and wife which puts us just before a Friend. One thing I have noticed that when booking opens for us nearly if not all of the stalls circle standing tickets are not on offer, whether this means they are sold or being kept back I know not. I know this is off topic but one thing that has really annoyed me in this booking period is the 2nd May performance of Mayerling ( Osipova/Watson ) the whole of the amphitheatre is being kept for students, only the sides are available. I really don't see why students should get priority over friends of all types, we pay enough for the priviledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saodan Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) I know this is off topic but one thing that has really annoyed me in this booking period is the 2nd May performance of Mayerling ( Osipova/Watson ) the whole of the amphitheatre is being kept for students, only the sides are available. I really don't see why students should get priority over friends of all types, we pay enough for the priviledge. As a student, I have no problem with this at all! Actually, the thing I’m most looking forward to in 2017 is a nice cheap ticket, front and center of the amphitheatre, to see Osipova and Watson in Mayerling on 2nd May. Fingers crossed. That said, I do take your point. Presumably it is to encourage younger people, who may not ordinarily be able to afford the price, to attend performances. Ballet and Opera do need to be encouraging the younger crowd in after all, even if we are a thoroughly disagreeable bunch! I suspect I may be less understanding when I stop being a student in October. Edited January 9, 2017 by Saodan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 This latter digression around Friend schemes is probably worthy of being carved out of this thread into another, although doubtless covered before elsewhere... I'm all for students getting discounts and priority - this is after all a mostly taxpayer funded institution and one which constantly has to defend itself against charges of cultural elitism and catering to an elderly, wealthy audience. Anything it does to build a new generation of ballet goers for when those of us in middle age and beyond shuffle off our mortal coils has to be a good thing. Being able to get priority booking over the general public, not just of the best seats but of many of the cheap seats, by paying an additional hefty subscription, is ethically interesting to say the least, in terms of the effect that has on overall accessibility. I'll happily admit that I take out my ENB Friends membership to get discounts so that I can afford to see more events, though I'd possibly keep it just for the members only rehearsals. I don't use the priority booking aspect as I never know where I'm gong to be n months in advance - and indeed that ability to plan one's life out a year ahead is also probably characteristic of a retired of at least quite static population. utterly unscientific I know, but looking round the heads at a typical Sadlers event and those at a typical RB event, there's a lot more hair and a lot more colour in it at Sadlers, and the pricing must have much to do with that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Sleeping Beauty at Teatro Costanzi in Rome. Swan Lake at the Opera House in Zurich (and après ballet at Sternen Grill for a bratwurst with bürli and a beer). Svetlana Zacharova in Giselle at Teatro di Verdura in Palermo. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatiana Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 You are able to buy "packages" for either the opera or ballet or a mix of both in the stalls or amphitheatre where you get the same seat and they do offer a discount for doing it. I am a Friend+ which covers myself and wife which puts us just before a Friend. One thing I have noticed that when booking opens for us nearly if not all of the stalls circle standing tickets are not on offer, whether this means they are sold or being kept back I know not. I know this is off topic but one thing that has really annoyed me in this booking period is the 2nd May performance of Mayerling ( Osipova/Watson ) the whole of the amphitheatre is being kept for students, only the sides are available. I really don't see why students should get priority over friends of all types, we pay enough for the priviledge. I'm sure it's annoying, but it's only one performance. If it weren't for the student events and cheaper tickets, I would never have even seen a ballet, let alone become part of the community. It's gotten a lot of my friends interested in dance as well, and surely it's good to engage a wider and more diverse audience? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I'm sure it's annoying, but it's only one performance. If it weren't for the student events and cheaper tickets, I would never have even seen a ballet, let alone become part of the community. It's gotten a lot of my friends interested in dance as well, and surely it's good to engage a wider and more diverse audience? I have no problem with the concept of reducing prices for our hard working students, my son was one some years ago, I did help with his rent and bills but it was tough deciding where to drink etc. It's the fact that it's Osipova/Watson that has ticked me off 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Me too. I hadn't realised it was happening at all I've only ever missed one Watson Mayerling, and I don't intend to make an exception this time, but if I can't get in the amphi then there are barely any seats I can afford (I'm assuming I won't be able to get a stalls circle standing). I've no objection to them making one performance a "student special", but just wish they wouldn't take out the entire "cheap section" in so doing. Perhaps they could do one half of the amphi at two separate performances - might fit in better with students' schedules, too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estreiiita Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I'm lookng forward to some performances I've already bought tickets to - "The Snow queen " by the National Finnish ballet this end of month in Copenhagen, "Jewels" in Copenhagen by RDB, and "Dangerous liaisons "of Cathy Marston by RDB. I'd love to come to London to see "Mayerling" and Mariinsky ballet and I am looking forward to Svetlana Zakharova's "Amore" in November. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see the "Stravinsky evening" in Milano as I should be there during these dates. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Me too. I hadn't realised it was happening at all I've only ever missed one Watson Mayerling, and I don't intend to make an exception this time, but if I can't get in the amphi then there are barely any seats I can afford (I'm assuming I won't be able to get a stalls circle standing). I've no objection to them making one performance a "student special", but just wish they wouldn't take out the entire "cheap section" in so doing. Perhaps they could do one half of the amphi at two separate performances - might fit in better with students' schedules, too? My complete sympathies Alison. (Do you know any students??) I think students should get discounts etc but this seems a very arbitrary way of helping them out. However, last time this happened I have a feeling they did open up the area to general booking later on in the booking period- or am I dreaming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Me too. I hadn't realised it was happening at all I've only ever missed one Watson Mayerling, and I don't intend to make an exception this time, but if I can't get in the amphi then there are barely any seats I can afford (I'm assuming I won't be able to get a stalls circle standing). I've no objection to them making one performance a "student special", but just wish they wouldn't take out the entire "cheap section" in so doing. Perhaps they could do one half of the amphi at two separate performances - might fit in better with students' schedules, too? Why not allocate the lower parts of the house instead of the amphi?? (Well I know why not, really. But it would be more truly egalitarian.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) Getting this thread back on topic ... I now want to add the NYCB/POB/Bolshoi JEWELS performances in Paris to my list. After the glorious RB performances of that same this will be the definite cherry on the top in deservedly celebrating this 20th Century balletic masterwork. Hope they do a week's worth like in NYC. I'll go to the all! Edited January 10, 2017 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 I'll add to mine Polunin and Osipova in Icarus as part of the Polunin Project bill at Sadlers Wells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 On 10/01/2017 at 01:27, alison said: I've only ever missed one Watson Mayerling, and I don't intend to make an exception this time Me and my big mouth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 On 4/25/2017 at 17:25, alison said: Me and my big mouth Alison - there's a few seats online for 11th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 I have tickets for all of them, Penelope - that's not the problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted April 27, 2017 Share Posted April 27, 2017 3 hours ago, alison said: I have tickets for all of them, Penelope - that's not the problem Oh, sorry Alison. Did not mean to rub salt into the wound. I can hardly contain my excitement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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