New ROH website - 2019 and 2022 versions

[alison]

Do they have a particularly large number of customers in Bristol?  (Or a smaller number who buy a lot of tickets - quite possible?)

 

1 hour ago, JNC said:

I think my overarching complaint about the new website is every update seems to require more effort/input from the user rather than being clear and helpful.

 

Crucially what was easily displayed on one page before (whether a calendar or listing of performances including casting, or the ability to see only performances rather than performances interspersed with ballet dots etc) now requires much more scrolling and more clicks, or having to perform obscure searches. If we are having to bookmark multiple pages to find what we want or constantly use the search function this is a website which is not fulfilling its basic remit - giving people information. Having to click through should be minimised as much as possible, so should the excessive scrolling.

 

Quite.  I've just realised I've gone round and round in circles on the new Manon page(s).

[Dawnstar]

What on earth is the point of the latest redesign having a tab on each production page labelled "Cast" if when you click on it all you get is "Cast may vary depending on date. Go to dates and prices to view casting."?

[penelopesimpson]

36 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

What on earth is the point of the latest redesign having a tab on each production page labelled "Cast" if when you click on it all you get is "Cast may vary depending on date. Go to dates and prices to view casting."?

In layman's terms its an April Fool.

Marketing speak would tell you it's a 'teaser.'

[Thalia]

I noticed the casting for Onegin has gone a bit squiffy with the update... It is still all there but not displaying consistently - some are out of order. 
 

I am still not impressed with the new website and wonder why they’ve spent so long tinkering about with it for such reduced functionality. I cannot see how it serves as an asset for the ROH; if I was a casual visitor to the website I would be completely put off as it is so unwieldy to navigate. 

 

And does anyone know what the point is of the sliding visuals when you click on an event? 

[JohnS]

2 hours ago, JNC said:

Is there anyone out there who used the old website who prefers the new website?

 

I like some of the new design but that scarcely registers given the loss of what I consider to be essential functionality.  The old website worked extremely well and I thought supported very effectively the work of the Royal Opera House.  It also engaged many audience members with News providing a forum for debate.

[capybara]

34 minutes ago, JohnS said:

 It also engaged many audience members with News providing a forum for debate.

 

 Now, all they seem to want is twitter comments. Although it says on the Manon thread that people can comment below, one can't as there is nothing to click onto.

[Guest]

The word, 'creatives' really gets on my nerves.

 

Edited October 15, 2019 by Darlex

[Richard LH]

Good to see that there are now links to the coloured seat maps with pricing details  for productions that are not yet available for general booking. 

(e.g. Onegin) https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/onegin-by-john-cranko-dates

 

11 hours ago, JNC said:

The new performance pages is essentially a ‘cover page’ which isn’t at all necessary (it doesn’t add anything) and breaks down information across a number of tabs/subheadings. When you click through to buy tickets/see cast everything you need is pretty much on there, meaning that the title/cover page is useless

 

But wasn't there always a "cover" page giving all the background details of the production and a separate page listing  dates and cast for booking? Or is my mind playing tricks. Anyhow I think it is sensible to have these elements separate, rather than all on one page. In fact I rather like the new layout!

 

I agree that the News aspect remains very poor, as does the  the Shop website functionality. 

[Rob S]

Oh dear god, they’ve messed with the dates pages for each ballet.....now it’s harder to see the cast in terms of typeface and you have to click the + to see additional cast members....for Onegin there are only three initially displayed instead of the correct 5!!

[penelopesimpson]

11 minutes ago, Rob S said:

Oh dear god, they’ve messed with the dates pages for each ballet.....now it’s harder to see the cast in terms of typeface and you have to click the + to see additional cast members....for Onegin there are only three initially displayed instead of the correct 5!!

Am quietly going mad here.  Fidelio not included in packages but when you buy a package it is.  But then it is all sold out!  Nightmare.  Given up.  Osipova Swan Lake difficult.

[Rob S]

I don’t know where best to post this but that public package booking was extremely frustrating, completely unlike the last one.

 

Various performances virtually sold out, it clearly stating previously that you book at least two ballets to complete the package but when it actually comes to booking it seems you have to book three which means I have to double up for the Cellist unnecessarily.....I was going to book five packages of two but have to make do with three of three 😫

Edited October 16, 2019 by Rob S

[Guest oncnp]

The Onegin casting for Jan 18 and Feb 7 seems to have changed to Hayward/Ball when I swore I booked for Osipova/ Muntagirov. Hope that's a website glitch. Or am I reading it wrong?

[Bluebird]

6 minutes ago, oncnp said:

The Onegin casting for Jan 18 and Feb 7 seems to have changed to Hayward/Ball when I swore I booked for Osipova/ Muntagirov. Hope that's a website glitch. Or am I reading it wrong?

 

The casting must be incomplete.  Hayward and Ball (Olga and Lensky) are in the same cast as Osipova and Muntagirov (Tatiana and Onegin).

 

Edited to add that I've just checked it on the new website page.  You have to click on the + to get the full cast.  Strange that they should list them in that order!

Edited October 16, 2019 by Bluebird

[Rob S]

7 minutes ago, oncnp said:

The Onegin casting for Jan 18 and Feb 7 seems to have changed to Hayward/Ball when I swore I booked for Osipova/ Muntagirov. Hope that's a website glitch. Or am I reading it wrong?

 

That’s what I thought initially ...but you have to click the + button to reveal the lesser names of Osipova and Muntagirov 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Rob S

[Guest oncnp]

1 minute ago, Rob S said:

 

That’s what I thought initially ...but you have to click the + button to reveal the lesser names of Osipova and Muntagirov 

 

Thank you both! 

[Rob S]

The new dates page format is clearly designed for people who just want to see the date and time of the performance, the cast details are not important at all. Why on Earth can’t the cast list run to two lines ( like it does when a dancer’s double barrelled name forces it to!) you have to press a button to display arguably the RB’s two biggest stars are appearing that night 

[zxDaveM]

9 hours ago, Darlex said:

The word, 'creatives' really gets on my nerves.

 

 

I'm surprised there isn't a section to list the names of the marketing and website designers

[zxDaveM]

20 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

That’s what I thought initially ...but you have to click the + button to reveal the lesser names of Osipova and Muntagirov 

 

at least they list them with the character they are dancing, which is an improvement I reckon

[Lizbie1]

10 hours ago, Darlex said:

The word, 'creatives' really gets on my nerves.

 

 

It’s industry jargon which has no place in something public facing.

[Rob S]

7 minutes ago, zxDaveM said:

 

at least they list them with the character they are dancing, which is an improvement I reckon

 

It used to do that when you clicked on the date anyway...in this new format there is no excuse for not having all the names displayed over two lines by default. 

[Lizbie1]

Well - I think it’s largely an improvement on what we had before (which is a low bar, admittedly). I don’t mind having to expand for the casting, particularly as it stays expanded when you open out another date. I can also see why they’ve done it: the page would be much too long, especially for opera, if full casting for each date showed automatically.

 

I do agree though that the front page is effectively pointless: the synopsis, sponsors, production team and any note about a live broadcast could easily be folded into the page with casting, especially if they were in a similar expandable format to the casting information, and with page jump links (as is given for the accessibility section).

[FionaM]

18 hours ago, alison said:

Do they have a particularly large number of customers in Bristol?  (Or a smaller number who buy a lot of tickets - quite possible?)

 

 

Wed design agency might be based in Bristol?

 

I did get this response to my feedback that a calendar was of the utmost urgency ....

 

“Thanks for your feedback on the calendar. We are aware of the need for it and we're working on redesigning it for the new platform as we speak.“

 

[Mummykool]

2 hours ago, Bluebird said:

 

The casting must be incomplete.  Hayward and Ball (Olga and Lensky) are in the same cast as Osipova and Muntagirov (Tatiana and Onegin).

 

Edited to add that I've just checked it on the new website page.  You have to click on the + to get the full cast.  Strange that they should list them in that order!

They have also listed all the Naghdi/Ball performances the same way. 

I wrote via the website but have also called the box office to point out the mistake. The lady I spoke to hadn't seen the new website so accessed it while we were talking. She checked the web info against the box office listings so they were obviously unaware of the error. Somebody is now on the case and presumably it will be fixed before public booking. Much as I personally love Anna Rose and Joseph Sissons, they really need to have the principals listed if they want to sell tickets......

Progress? I think not.....

[JNC]

14 hours ago, JohnS said:

 

I like some of the new design but that scarcely registers given the loss of what I consider to be essential functionality.  The old website worked extremely well and I thought supported very effectively the work of the Royal Opera House.  It also engaged many audience members with News providing a forum for debate.

 

Exactly - a refreshed look could have been done without the loss of functionality. 

 

I wonder how much the web design is costing ROH and whether this is really the best way to spend money, especially  when the old site worked well (and when the new site does not). 

 

Style over substance....we should get both ideally, if not I’d much rather the latter! 

[Richard LH]

4 hours ago, Rob S said:

I don’t know where best to post this but that public package booking was extremely frustrating, completely unlike the last one.

 

Various performances virtually sold out, it clearly stating previously that you book at least two ballets to complete the package but when it actually comes to booking it seems you have to book three which means I have to double up for the Cellist unnecessarily.....I was going to book five packages of two but have to make do with three of three 😫

Rob  isn't the minimum  all three if you go for "Total Ballet" (there being 3 ballets in this Winter booking period), but  two or more of any ballet (or opera) if you go for "Design your Own" (which has a smaller discount)?

That was the case when booked as a Friend, and it seems to be the same when I looked just now. 

[Rob S]

2 hours ago, Richard LH said:

Rob  isn't the minimum  all three if you go for "Total Ballet" (there being 3 ballets in this Winter booking period), but  two or more of any ballet (or opera) if you go for "Design your Own" (which has a smaller discount)?

That was the case when booked as a Friend, and it seems to be the same when I looked just now. 

 

 

Ahhh b*ll*ckssssssss!!! 😫

[Dawnstar]

I'm wondering what's going to happen with the Total Ballet package for the summer season, when there is only 1 main stage ballet production. Do they not do them or does everyone booking it get 18% off?!

[JNC]

5 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I'm wondering what's going to happen with the Total Ballet package for the summer season, when there is only 1 main stage ballet production. Do they not do them or does everyone booking it get 18% off?!

 

I imagine it just won’t be an option and will be part of the ‘pick your own’ packages for a smaller discount, which seems fair. 

 

So so far I have been quite pleased with the packages, particularly the ones for this winter where for booking three ballets (compared to four for autumn) you got a decent 10% off. Especially as this time they included a lower price tier for Swan Lake which I could just about justify with the 10% discount. For Autumn Sleeping Beauty was the one that meant I couldn’t go for the total package (even though I was intending to see it of course) so had to go for the select your own. 

[Geoff]

Just clicked on a programme page for next June. Is it me or have those wonderfully talented and amusing web designers included a deliberate mistake to keep us all guessing?

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/tombeaux-monotones-i-and-ii-symphonic-dances-details

 

[bridiem]

10 minutes ago, Geoff said:

Just clicked on a programme page for next June. Is it me or have those wonderfully talented and amusing web designers included a deliberate mistake to keep us all guessing?

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/tombeaux-monotones-i-and-ii-symphonic-dances-details

 

 

Oops! Incomplete edit there, I think...

[ninamargaret]

Tried to look at the casts for the Concerto triple bill. They are totally hopeless! For one performance of Concerto we have two female leads, no male, and for,another two male but no female. For Enigma at at least one performance the orchestra leader is playing Elgar. Should be interesting!

Edited October 20, 2019 by ninamargaret
Spelling correction

[JohnS]

On 18/10/2019 at 11:18, bridiem said:

 

Oops! Incomplete edit there, I think...

 

I think similar wording is used for the earlier Triple (but I might be missing the point):

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/live-fire-exercise-prodigal-son-corybantic-games-details

[Geoff]

On 18/10/2019 at 11:07, Geoff said:

Just clicked on a programme page for next June. Is it me or have those wonderfully talented and amusing web designers included a deliberate mistake to keep us all guessing?

 

https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/tombeaux-monotones-i-and-ii-symphonic-dances-details

 

 

Clicking on the link today shows what should have been there in the first place, hence my original post (which is now null). 

 

Surely a coincidence, it can’t be that the ROH website elves actually take note of this Forum? If they did they would surely have fixed (eg) the calendar a year ago, never mind all the other matters we have drawn attention to.