The "new" Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

[bridiem]

9 hours ago, loveclassics said:

Incidentally if they persist in only checking tickets at the auditorium doors, the intervals should be extended to their original length because it takes much longer now to get everyone into their seats.

 

My ticket has never been checked at any interval - not in the last few weeks, and not in the past. And in fact I'm quite likely not to have it with me at the interval (likely to be in coat pocket on chair). I hope ticket-checking at intervals isn't going to become the norm.

[Esmeralda]

My ticket wasn´t checked either last weekend - not on Friday and also not on Saturday. "Funny" enough: my friend, who walked on Friday right behind me got stopped and had to show his ticket. I hope, it had nothing to do with his several piercings in his face or his visible tattoo on his neck and his all in black clothing...*cough cough*. Weird, isn´t it?

 

Also we had to ask an older couple to give us our seats "back", who definitely had not to show their tickets too - they had the right seats, but wrong performance...

 

 

[LinMM]

Goodness a new task before going to the ROH ....memorise exactly where any seat is in the House so will have at least some idea how to get there on the night!!

[Mary]

Print out a seating plan. It would be a good idea if they had a much magnified one in that coffee bar place.

 

Perhaps it could be interactive too? Press the button for that seat, put on goggles and headphones and experience the performance as if from there.

 

[Fonty]

52 minutes ago, Esmeralda said:

 

Also we had to ask an older couple to give us our seats "back", who definitely had not to show their tickets too - they had the right seats, but wrong performance...

 

 

 

You mean they had turned up on the wrong day? 😲

[Esmeralda]

32 minutes ago, Fonty said:

 

You mean they had turned up on the wrong day? 😲

 

Yes! They actually had tickets for tomorrow (?)...Definitely the Bonelli cast. This is why I realized the mistake, thought at first they were on the wrong side or something like a computer error and booking twice. But then they talked about Bonelli and I looked at the date. Well, lucky for them their tickets weren´t for a date already in the past....They seemed generally a little bit confused to be honest not only because of the new ROH...

[Timmie]

2 hours ago, bridiem said:

...I hope ticket-checking at intervals isn't going to become the norm.

 

I asked an usher the weekend before last and he said they (ROH) were still working out the best way of dealing with ticket checks at intervals. He'd been told to check 1 in 10 at an interval. What this meant was at the first interval I saw no ticket checks but at the second, because someone ahead had had their ticket checked, we were all getting our tickets out and offering them up to be checked.

 

You would really have expected they would have thought all this through during the years of the open up build.

[LinMM]

Well the new interval checks will be because some people will be at the ROH without tickets for that particular performance now with the new open up arrangements. 

To be honest why not just close the open up day say by 8pm so there won't be a perceived problem re tickets and seating space at intervals

Edited October 24, 2018 by LinMM

[Lizbie1]

I don’t think I’ve ever been asked for my ticket after an interval, anywhere. It seems very unconventional!

 

The last thing I want is longer intervals, they seem to overrun routinely as it is.

[Richard LH]

2 hours ago, LinMM said:

Goodness a new task before going to the ROH ....memorise exactly where any seat is in the House so will have at least some idea how to get there on the night!!

Would this help?

[JohnS]

You always needed to show your tickets when re-entering the Royal Opera House if you'd gone outside for some air (or whatever) during an interval.  Such checks are not now operating as any checks are much closer to entering the auditorium.

 

All early days and I'm sure things will settle.  I guess we'll all get used to the new door numbering system and I can see some merit in what's been done.  I imagine that people who've never been before may find it pretty clear.  I'm sure many people will continue to refer to the Grand Tier, Balcony etc - I certainly hope so.

[Lizbie1]

Just now, JohnS said:

 

You always needed to show your tickets when re-entering the Royal Opera House if you'd gone outside for some air (or whatever) during an interval.  

 

 

Sorry, I should have been clearer: I meant I’ve never had to show my ticket again if I haven’t been outside.

[Thalia]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

Would this help?

 

It might be better and avoid confusion if they added the new levels to the seating plan, but I’m sure they have plans to update it. 

[Richard LH]

2 hours ago, Lizbie1 said:

 

Sorry, I should have been clearer: I meant I’ve never had to show my ticket again if I haven’t been outside.

No because you used to show your ticket at the main entrance and you were then free to wander within....  you did not have to show tickets on entry into the auditorium at the start (except that  they would look at your tickets if it seemed you needed help where to go), or at intervals. At least that was my experience, but I have only been attending since 2017. 

Edited October 24, 2018 by Richard LH

[Timmie]

"if it ain't broke don't fix it" comes to mind quite a lot reading this thread .

[Lizbie1]

It all reminds me of nothing so much as the V&A ad campaign in the late 1980s pushing it as "An ace caff with quite a nice museum attached" - IIRC that story didn't end well.

[loveclassics]

8 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Would this help?

I tried this link and received an error message.  I've advised the ROH web team and will post their response (assuming I get one).

 

Linda

[JennyTaylor]

I've been 4 times now since Open Out started. I've got mixed feelings. 

 

First of all, it's nice that there is more seating available, but until last Monday night when it was totally deserted, it was always packed when I got there (early or late) so not much help even so. 

 

I always feel vaguely guilty if I take all my own food, so I tend to do a mixture.  Took Pret sandwiches and crisps last Saturday, but did buy wine on site.  In the new open up area - we were given plastic glasses. Hardly in keeping with the price of the wine! 

 

I was amazed there were no bag checks, even though you could argue that these were cursory at most when they were implemented in the old world and that any terrorist wanting to do serious damage could still have done so easily. Ticket checks appear to be random. 

 

Why remove left and right from the tickets - crazy! That's the basic information you need to know in order to enter on the correct side of the auditorium. 

 

I know the opera house well, so always go to the Ladies, via the right hand side downstairs entrance to avoid queues.  Last week (out of performance hours - in between afternoon and evening performances),  I entered via the Linbury entrance and came out via the right hand exit.  At that point, I could have gone anywhere in the auditorium.  Very Open Up.    

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by JennyTaylor
added content

[Coated]

They better have this sorted by the time the Bolshoi arrives. I have no intentions of sharing my standing space with anyone bolshy enough to simply wander in off the street. 

 

That dark haired woman sneaking in every time the Russians are over is bad enough. 

[ninamargaret]

The signage in the lifts is,also a bit confusing. My Ring ticket was SC A,17,or i should say Level 1. enter by door 1A. you get in the lift and there is no Door 1A. listed, only 2A. Knowing my way around i took the lift to 2A. Door 1A is the entrance nearest the stage, but of course A17 is perfectly accessible through  Door A2. And my ticket was only checked once during the whole cycle and then only because I offered it! Theatregoing has suddenly become a bit of a shambles.

[Blossom]

My first visit to the ROH was this evening and I have to say I approached with extreme trepidation given all of the reviews already. I first walked through from the piazza at about 6pm which was lovely to be able to do again. The shop was just gorgeous, lots of lovely books and treats which I imagine I will be swayed into buying. 

 

The cafe area was gently buzzing as the opera was starting early. Having decided to eat elsewhere, I returned just before 7 to find it very quiet.

 

i really liked the airy space, great lighting (it was actually quite cosy sitting on a barstool having a coffee looking out onto the dark street) and love the balance of wood and stone. I had a look at the small exhibition in the Linbury foyer which I greedily would like to see more of then headed up to the amphi. 

 

The levels game is definitely confusing, especially as the amphi is 3 separate levels in itself! There is a lovely Swan Lake exhibition up in the Amphi (I mean level 5), with the Odette/Odile tutus at the entrance to the restaurant and 12 (?) images of leading ladies (and sometimes couples) in costume on the wall sort of opposite the bar. By the cloakroom (there’s a cloakroom!!) there was a lovely exhibition with pieces of fabric and costume detail with accompanying photos. I can’t wait to see what they will share next. 

 

The amphi restaurant looked quite lovely but the bar area did look as beige and bland as described. The covered outdoor areas looked lovely though, again, especially in the darkness of the outside. The area feels like the restaurant balcony areas on the central Covent Garden market.

 

I adore mixtures of old and new styles and from the clean, modern stone and wood to the plush opulence of the old opera house areas. The modern areas still feel cosy to me, just in a different way. Except for the amphi bar area. Having lost a lot of space during the building project it’s nice that the building can breathe again and that it can have a new life.

 

I have to say that I didn’t see any evidence of people there who weren’t attending a performance or the Bayadere Insight. The staff also are hugely excited by the wonderful new space.

 

Just to add some context, I am in my late 30s (and am not considered a Millenial)!

[Esmeralda]

I feel and think a little bit like Blossom (also not a Millenial but at the beginning of 30s😉😞 my first time was there last weekend after I read a lot of things - positive and negative. What I absolutely don´t like is the non - ticket and bag checking. The levels and direction advices are confusing and not always logical. The Shop is nice but the assortment is rather small (at least it was my feeling though this could be something currently, maybe they will stock the selection at a later time). I agree also with the people who complain about the lack of advertising and flyers and think that there should be an ticketoffice where you can buy tickets even on short notice.

 

What I do like is the space/room design. I am not sure about the carpet but maybe it is something easily to clean? (I do know nothing about it since I am the worst housewife ever). Loved the exhibitions and the hanging clothes (or whatever you call this) above the escalators with Richardson/Sissens from Yugen! Also liked the terrace and probably I am the only one who likes the Amphi Bar! The prices are high but this is London...

 

I had not the feeling neither on Friday nor on Saturday that the places and seats were mainly taken  by people who don´t visit the performances. Maybe the novelty is already fading away. What I did find absolutely great was the fact that you could find several dancers on both days there. Someone had an interview there, two others maybe a buisness meeting and most of them were just meeting and had some pre - performance fun and talks! Lovely! Especially that you could see how well the dancers get along with each other: younger and older ones, corps de ballet with soloists/principals etc...

 

Certainly there are a lot of things which aren´t perfect. It is also clear that things need some time to run smoothly, but things like safety and ticket checks aren´t such a strange concept for a theatre, so it a little bit weird that there is none of it. I am curious to see how things will work out and what we will think about it in a year.

 

 

[LinMM]

I've just looked at my ticket for Nov 5th and have only just noticed that it's marked with the new level system.

Im in a Row C in the Amphi and would normally have entered on the Left hand side with this ticket.

 

Once Ive remembered ( hopefully) which was the old left hand / right hand way up the stairs should be okay.....well for standing and Balcony etc ....but I suppose the Amphi is easier because you can just go up the escalator and then look for how the doors are labelled .....mine says Level 5 door 5c so should be easy enough to find really. But I think the left and right on the ticket would still be helpful 

 

Thanks again Richard I do already have a copy of the seating plan on my IPad just guess it would be useful to print off now ....just in case ....and a lot lighter than the iPad to carry around lol!! 

I agree there might be a problem with standing potentially if no ticket checks or not rigorous enough but funnily enough not from people wandering around in the Open up without a ticket ....more likely from some rather cheeky regulars!!! 

[Richard LH]

12 hours ago, Blossom said:

I returned just before 7 to find it very quiet.

 

I really liked the airy space, great lighting (it was actually quite cosy sitting on a barstool having a coffee looking out onto the dark street)

Blossom from what you have described, you were probably the lady sitting just to our left  - we were the couple, slightly beyond the late 30s mark, also on the barstools and fighting over a £4 chocolate brownie. We were also grumbling a bit that the staff weren't too quick about clearing up the mess on the tables left behind by the mucky opera goers, after  the area suddenly emptied for their next Gotterdammerung fix. 

Apart from that, we totally agree with your generally very positive view of the place. It was our third visit since The Opening and, like you and Esmeralda, we noticed no invasion by the unwashed hordes.  

And wasn't the Insight fantastic?  

[Blossom]

1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

Blossom from what you have described, you were probably the lady sitting just to our left  - we were the couple, slightly beyond the late 30s mark, also on the barstools and fighting over a £4 chocolate brownie. We were also grumbling a bit that the staff weren't too quick about clearing up the mess on the tables left behind by the mucky opera goers, after  the area suddenly emptied for their next Gotterdammerung fix. 

Apart from that, we totally agree with your generally very positive view of the place. It was our third visit since The Opening and, like you and Esmeralda, we noticed no invasion by the unwashed hordes.  

And wasn't the Insight fantastic?  

 

Brilliant! Yes it was me. I always wonder who might be another Forum member at these gatherings!

[Bluebird]

19 hours ago, Blossom said:

I have to say that I didn’t see any evidence of people there who weren’t attending a performance or the Bayadere Insight.

 

I think it's very weather dependent.  On warmer evenings there have sometimes been large parties of 'non attenders' on the open part of the amphitheatre terrace.  They've usually been there before the performance and, occasionally,  during the first interval. I've yet to see any during the second interval.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Bluebird

[Sim]

There were quite a few people having a drink on the terrace when I showed some friends around last Saturday night while Mayerling was in full flow (I was lucky to also be able to get a peek at Matthew dancing Rudolf on the latecomers' TV!!  My friends had to drag me away!).   I guess it's a lovely place to have a drink before dinner in Covent Garden....comfy seats, nice ambience.  Not much choice of drinks though (i.e. no proper cocktails), but then it's not a 'professional' bar! 

[penelopesimpson]

It IS a lovely place to have a drink but shouldn't this be a lovely place for people who have bought a ticket?  You don't go to a restaurant and have other people sitting at your table.  I am simply suggesting that entry should be restricted to ticket holders during performance times.

[Amelia]

23 hours ago, Coated said:

They better have this sorted by the time the Bolshoi arrives. I have no intentions of sharing my standing space with anyone bolshy enough to simply wander in off the street. 

 

At a Mayerling performance last week I was in the SC and felt that the number of standing people exceeded the number of SCS “seats”. It was uncomfortable to be nearly squashed shoulder to shoulder. I wish the administration reads the forum with our observations.

[penelopesimpson]

I hadn't looked at it this way.  Are you saying that because of the lack of ticket checks, people in Standing Areas can get in without a ticket?

[Fonty]

3 hours ago, penelopesimpson said:

It IS a lovely place to have a drink but shouldn't this be a lovely place for people who have bought a ticket?  You don't go to a restaurant and have other people sitting at your table.  I am simply suggesting that entry should be restricted to ticket holders during performance times.

 

I agree.  

 

 

 

 

[Amelia]

1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said:

I hadn't looked at it this way.  Are you saying that because of the lack of ticket checks, people in Standing Areas can get in without a ticket?

 

I quoted Coated.

[loveclassics]

I think the ROH is being more vigilant now - my ticket was checked tonight and the ushers were carefully checking at the end of the intervals too.

 

Linda