ROH orchestra stalls

[swanprincess]

I have managed to get hold of an orchestra stalls row C seat for RB Swan Lake- can anyone advise please as to if the view is good so close to the stage, are the dancers' feet visible or is it too close? I am quite short so hoping I'll still be able to see their feet!

[MildConcern]

I sat in row B recently for Manon. The rake of the floor of decidedly less towards the front of the stalls so if someone tall sits in front of you, they will block your view slightly. And unfortunately I couldn't see the dancers' feet very well in Manon, and I am above average height!

 

My preference is always to sit more towards the middle of the stalls or - even better - at the side of the Stalls Circle which gives both the proximity to the stage and a view of the dancers' feet!

[hephaistion03]

I sat in the stalls Row B for Manon a few weeks back and unfortunately had a tall couple  ( both about 6ft 1 inches tall)  sat right in front of me  , they were in Row A ( the front row)   which limited my view of the stage and the dancers. 

 

The rake in the stalls near the stage is not particularly good and you can find yourself having to move keep moving your position in your seat to see the action on the stage, which in turn can be annoying for the people behind you.  

 

Now I understand why Row A always seems to sell out  very quickly when booking opens.

[alison]

My impression is that those who tend to book for the front row are there primarily because they want to see the dancers(' expressions) up close rather than anything else.  My understanding is that you can't see their feet well from there.  Viewing angle might also be a factor?

[San Perregrino]

there are some taller than average regulars who book the front row seats. they get the best of all worlds but I always feel sorry for the people sitting behind them.  it happened to me once. I was miserable for days afterwards.

[Emeralds]

I once sat in row A of orchestra stalls and couldn't see their feet (except when their feet were in the air) and I'm of medium height. There is not much of a rake (slope of the floor where the rows gradually get higher towards the back) in Orchestra Stalls so in row C you might not see their feet either, like I did, or tall audience members in front of you might block your view.

 

You can obtain (free of charge) inflated PVC cushions (they look like the blow-up floats for learner swimmers) from the ushers to borrow to sit on - they are available for children and shorter adults to use. That may (or may not) solve the problem depending on the height of people in front and your own height; I also don't find the cushions comfortable when we tried them out for the kids in our group....sometimes they feel like they'll squeak a lot.

 

On the other hand, many audience members (young and old) use them and are perfectly happy with them. If we have shorter adults or children coming with us now I generally book first row upstairs (anywhere from Amphitheatre down to Grand Tier) instead. 

Edited March 6 by Emeralds

[LinMM]

It always seems like an awful lot of money to pay to me to risk one’s view being blocked. I once sat in Row A on extreme right hand side but this was a return for an RBS show so was a very happy bunny though couldn’t always see the feet if dancers came too far forward on the stage but seeing their happy young faces so close up more than made up for it! 
I wouldn’t pay £175 though no matter how close I was! 

 

[Dawnstar]

2 hours ago, alison said:

My impression is that those who tend to book for the front row are there primarily because they want to see the dancers(' expressions) up close rather than anything else.  My understanding is that you can't see their feet well from there.  Viewing angle might also be a factor?

 

That was why I booked for front row stalls back when lower prices & package booking meant I was just about able to afford to do so for occasional performances. I'd rather see dancers' facial expressions than their feet! Personally, at 5 foot 7, I could usually see them from the ankles upward when they were standing on flat feet & from the instep upwards for women en pointe. Also, after finding how much even a not particualrly tall person could block the view if you were sitting in row B or behind, I would only book for row A. Now, with prices so much higher, I'd stress that even more for those who can still afford the stalls.

[Fonty]

I think it is extremely anti social for very tall people to book seats in the front few rows.  My husband is tall, and he usually slouches down in his seat in any theatre.  But sadly not many tall people do.  

I think there should be special performances for short people.  Height limit 5' 4".  

[art_enthusiast]

8 minutes ago, Fonty said:

I think there should be special performances for short people.  Height limit 5' 4".  

 

Ha, interesting idea. I would go to them  

[OnePigeon]

I have had to rush out for a booster seat on a few occasions when someone tall has sat in front of me and it is clear my view is going to be severely restricted. They aren’t very comfortable and I do feel like I’m going to slide off them,  but I’m willing to forego some comfort in order to actually see what I’ve paid for.  I definitely recommend them as an option.  I would say, though, that the first few rows, whilst amazing for proximity to facial expressions (I could actually hear Vadim breathing when I saw Manon), aren’t as good as a few more rows back to get a proper sense of the stage and the patterns of the choreography - the Corps dancing and sense of scale loses some impact in my opinion.

[Linnzi5]

8 hours ago, swanprincess said:

I have managed to get hold of an orchestra stalls row C seat for RB Swan Lake- can anyone advise please as to if the view is good so close to the stage, are the dancers' feet visible or is it too close? I am quite short so hoping I'll still be able to see their feet!

I was in C for The Dante Project. I had an excellent view and saw both feet and facial expressions up close (I am really short, at 5ft 1). However, I had a child sitting in front of me - yes, someone shorter than me! So that worked out brilliantly. I have sat in B, (too close to see some of the footwork but good views of the stage and facial expressions), D (fine), E, F, H, M, P and V. I like all the rest and it would depend on what sort of distance I want for the ballets being performed. If I get someone taller in front of me, I sit on my coat, but I really have been lucky so far and have always had a good view. I will probably have jinxed myself now I've said that! 

[TSR101]

I don't personally think it's worth paying top price for tickets before Row H. I actually think its bad form that ROH prices these seats the same as the middle of the stalls. 

[Fonty]

@Linnzi5  You really are lucky.  I can guarantee that wherever I sit, unless I am in the front row of the amphitheatre, that someone huge will sit in front of me.  And worse still, they always come in at the last moment, just before the curtain goes up.  

[swanprincess]

Thank you for all the replies this is super helpful!

[LinMM]

Perhaps go armed with one of those cushions ( or your own!) Swanprincess just in case you get somebody tall in front of you. 

[Balletmumma]

Need advice for seats! 

 

My daughter and I are flying into London from Canada for a short trip and are looking at the triple bill Macmillan Ballets. Having never been in the ROH I need some help with choosing what tickets are left. There are a few left at the back of the circle stalls just off centre but they are very pricey! They are far enough for the rake to be helpful unless someone tall sits in front of us, as we are not tall! There are tickets left up in the first row of the balcony but quite far over and are considered a restricted view. (row A 16) the seats are loose so I expect people snug their chairs right up to the ledge of the balcony to look over?? Can anyone speak to this as the tickets prices are a little easier to swallow. Thank-you in advance for any information, I appreciate the insight!! 

[Jan McNulty]

Hello @Simone Whyte and a belated welcome to the Forum!

[Blossom]

1 hour ago, Simone Whyte said:

Need advice for seats! 

 

My daughter and I are flying into London from Canada for a short trip and are looking at the triple bill Macmillan Ballets. Having never been in the ROH I need some help with choosing what tickets are left. There are a few left at the back of the circle stalls just off centre but they are very pricey! They are far enough for the rake to be helpful unless someone tall sits in front of us, as we are not tall! There are tickets left up in the first row of the balcony but quite far over and are considered a restricted view. (row A 16) the seats are loose so I expect people snug their chairs right up to the ledge of the balcony to look over?? Can anyone speak to this as the tickets prices are a little easier to swallow. Thank-you in advance for any information, I appreciate the insight!! 

Which date are you looking at specifically?

[Balletmumma]

We are looking at the evening of March 22.

[alison]

Yow - those top prices are quite eye-watering for a triple bill.  No wonder they were offering 40% off. 

 

There's not much left at all now, is there?  You could take a chance on someone returning a pair of tickets between now and the performance, but that's risky, although returns are frequent - and you've got no idea where those returns might be.  If you lived in the UK I'd suggest you buy something and then return it if something better turns up, but if you're doing a flying visit that won't work, because the ROH no longer refunds tickets, you just get given a credit voucher.  If they're within your price range, I think I'd seriously consider the orange seats in Balcony rows B and C, even though one is behind the other.  I can't really speak for the loose seats down the sides of the horseshoe, because I've only sat in them once - I didn't like them, but others may disagree.

 

The other thing to bear in mind - IF you can get online at 1 pm UK time the previous Friday - is that a number of seats and standing places will be released for the following week.  Many of these are in the rear amphitheatre - worse than what's available up there now - but they also include the two blocks of seats in Stalls Circle row C nearest the edges of the picture.  Have a click on them and you'll get an idea of the view from those.  But be warned - Friday Rush has been a bit hit-and-miss recently, and you'd need to be quick.  If you didn't succeed there, you would at least have the best part of a week in which something suitable might be returned, but presumably you'd really rather know for certain that you've got something before then.

 

Best of luck to you, anyway!

[Balletmumma]

8 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

Hello @Simone Whyte and a belated welcome to the Forum!

Thank-you!!

[Balletmumma]

4 hours ago, alison said:

Yow - those top prices are quite eye-watering for a triple bill.  No wonder they were offering 40% off. 

 

There's not much left at all now, is there?  You could take a chance on someone returning a pair of tickets between now and the performance, but that's risky, although returns are frequent - and you've got no idea where those returns might be.  If you lived in the UK I'd suggest you buy something and then return it if something better turns up, but if you're doing a flying visit that won't work, because the ROH no longer refunds tickets, you just get given a credit voucher.  If they're within your price range, I think I'd seriously consider the orange seats in Balcony rows B and C, even though one is behind the other.  I can't really speak for the loose seats down the sides of the horseshoe, because I've only sat in them once - I didn't like them, but others may disagree.

 

The other thing to bear in mind - IF you can get online at 1 pm UK time the previous Friday - is that a number of seats and standing places will be released for the following week.  Many of these are in the rear amphitheatre - worse than what's available up there now - but they also include the two blocks of seats in Stalls Circle row C nearest the edges of the picture.  Have a click on them and you'll get an idea of the view from those.  But be warned - Friday Rush has been a bit hit-and-miss recently, and you'd need to be quick.  If you didn't succeed there, you would at least have the best part of a week in which something suitable might be returned, but presumably you'd really rather know for certain that you've got something before then.

 

Best of luck to you, anyway!

Thank-you Alison for your suggestions! When you sat in the loose seats did people move them to get a better view? If we were in town for Swan Lake and were able to secure tickets at the hefty price I would not think twice but I am not do sure about the triple bill. Having said that we would be seeing four principle dancers that we have always wanted to see. My daughter is an aspiring ballerina training in Canada with the dream to train and work in the UK. Thanks for your reply!! 

[LinMM]

I know they are expensive but in your case especially if daughter is with you could you not treat yourself to the stalls Circle seats? It is rather a special occasion! 
I usually like sitting in the Balcony but A.16 is a bit too far round on the side for me (anything beyond about A.23 really) as people do tend to lean forward and not just the people sitting next to you ..further along the line so difficult to say anything and of course people will want to try to get more of a view if they can when there is too much restriction. It’s the same on the other side of the Balcony too where anything beyond about A.63 can get problematic. 
To me it would be a shame to have come all this way to see favourite dancers and then annoyingly they are just out of view for parts of the ballet. 
If you were just going to ROH for the experience of being there this would not matter so much but as your daughter is an aspiring ballerina it would be such a treat to enjoy it all!! 

[alison]

From what I recall of the ballets (bearing in mind that one I haven't seen for 15-odd years, and another for 20-odd), if I were going for a restricted-view seat I think I'd sit on the left-hand side of the auditorium for preference.

[Emeralds]

I would add that the Balcony sides (such as A16 and A15) are significantly restricted view, where you miss quite a lot of the dancing (including the pas de deux and important solos) when they move to the left. Moving the chairs won't help. It's OK for regulars who have seen the ballets many times or will get a chance to go more than once (and can book the other side) but if this is your only performance and you've flown all the way from Canada, it could be quite frustrating.

 

I would suggest booking the central block (or the most central seats near the aisle of one of the side blocks; do not book the last 2 seats nearest the wall) of the Amphitheatre if your budget doesn't go any higher than £50 per ticket and use binoculars (bring two so that you can both get a close up view). That way you see the entire pas de deux or solo at least, and for Requiem the "panoramic" view from the Amphitheatre is brilliant in the group dances. 

Edited March 11 by Emeralds

[Balletmumma]

On 10/03/2024 at 12:01, Balletmumma said:

Need advice for seats! 

 

My daughter and I are flying into London from Canada for a short trip and are looking at the triple bill Macmillan Ballets. Having never been in the ROH I need some help with choosing what tickets are left. There are a few left at the back of the circle stalls just off centre but they are very pricey! They are far enough for the rake to be helpful unless someone tall sits in front of us, as we are not tall! There are tickets left up in the first row of the balcony but quite far over and are considered a restricted view. (row A 16) the seats are loose so I expect people snug their chairs right up to the ledge of the balcony to look over?? Can anyone speak to this as the tickets prices are a little easier to swallow. Thank-you in advance for any information, I appreciate the insight!! 

Thank-you to everyone for their advice. I have now purchased some tickets in the amphitheater that look like they should have a good view. We are really looking forward to our first visit to the ROH!!! 

[Emeralds]

On 11/03/2024 at 10:14, alison said:

From what I recall of the ballets (bearing in mind that one I haven't seen for 15-odd years, and another for 20-odd), if I were going for a restricted-view seat I think I'd sit on the left-hand side of the auditorium for preference.

That's an impressive memory, @alison! I remember we had seats all the way on the right hand side in the stalls circle for Different Drummer- the last seat before you hit the wall, haha (the only tickets/returns left). Great view of Marie's solo but I've never seen it from the other side to compare.

 

I've watched Requiem from left, right, centre and I think MacMillan places the lead dancers' choreography fairly centrally most of the time so one doesn't miss a lot if the seat is at the side.

 

Only watched Danses Concertantes from the centre so can't be sure what it looks like from the sides. Great to hear that @Balletmumma has found reasonably priced seats with good sightlines. 👍 

Edited March 12 by Emeralds