Royal Ballet season 2015-2016

[Tony Newcombe]

S/C and Amphi Nutcracker & R&J £11. £10 for matinee. Only £4 for the bill that nobody seems to like.

[billboyd]

SC Standing - £11 - £4

 

Amphi Standing - £6 - £2

[Bluebird]

SC Standing - £11 - £4

 

Amphi Standing - £6 - £2

 

Some further information: The full length ballets and the mixed bills do not have the same prices .  There is a slight variation. The prices in brackets are for matinées

 

Stalls Circle Standing:

£11 (£10) for Romeo and Nutcracker

£10 (£8) for  The Viscera and Two Pigeons mixed bills 

£4  Connectome/Raven Girl

 

Amphitheatre standing:

£6 (£5) Romeo and Nutcracker

£5 (£4) Viscera and Two Pigeons mixed bills

£2 Connectome/Raven Girl

Edited April 26, 2015 by Bluebird

[annamk]

At those prices SCS are a bargain. Maybe other people have different experiences but it seems to me that demand for SCS now way outstrips supply. Unless you are at least a Premium Friend (or friend thereof) or student the only way to get SCS is to be super lucky in public booking, on balletcoforum, scouring the RoH website for returns or to day queue. Next season the day queue won't be an option. 

[Bruce Wall]

SC Standing - £11 - £4

 

Amphi Standing - £6 - £2

 

Thanks so, Bill and Bluebird.  Your largess is much appreciated.  

 

So it seems if you have a Raven Girl Amphi standing place and need to return that ticket for re-sale the ROH administration charge will equal the price of the ticket itself.      (Or the ticket itself may be in negative equity if those ROH charges have themselves gone up.)  What is it they say about sparing your breath to cool your porridge???   It would certainly seem to be apt in that specific case.  

 

Something tells me that there may be a goodly number of seats left unsold for those performances - as indeed there were the last time round I seem to recall ... at least in the upper Amphi ... and that on a double bill with Balanchine's triumphant Symphony in C.  

Edited April 26, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[alison]

Where did all this information come from, that it gets revealed on a Sunday?

[Bruce Wall]

At those prices SCS are a bargain. Maybe other people have different experiences but it seems to me that demand for SCS now way outstrips supply. Unless you are at least a Premium Friend (or friend thereof) or student the only way to get SCS is to be super lucky in public booking, on balletcoforum, scouring the RoH website for returns or to day queue. Next season the day queue won't be an option. 

 

I know of several SC standees who have friends who are ROH Premium Friends who now book their tickets for them. 

Edited April 26, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[John Mallinson]

OMG £127 for the stalls and £69 for the Amphi for R & J & Nutcracker and £100 for a mixed bill ! Perhaps they're subsidising Raven Girl/Connectome but frankly if £45 for the stalls is all they think it's worth surely they should just be done with it and bin it. 

 

Well, this is novel, complaining that ticket prices are too low!

[Bluebird]

Where did all this information come from, that it gets revealed on a Sunday?

 

It came in answer to Bruce Wall's question.  The information is available in the ROH Magazine which is sent to Friends of Covent Garden.  The magazines are sent to Friends in batches.  This is why some Friends received it two weeks ago, others only in the last few days.

[Sunrise]

Ballet doesn't seem like good value for money anymore. I don't think I can afford to see anything live next year, especially if I've seen it many times before (like R&J, new casts or not!) :-(  Without getting too political, incomes haven't exactly been on the rise in the last few years, so I don't think the ROH can justify this jump in prices. I think the high prices might be justified if its used to subsidise new work, but if its to subsidise the Connectome/Raven girl bill, well it feels like a bit of a slap in the face.

[Bruce Wall]

It came in answer to Bruce Wall's question.  The information is available in the ROH Magazine which is sent to Friends of Covent Garden.  The magazines are sent to Friends in batches.  This is why some Friends received it two weeks ago, others only in the last few days.

 

Again I would like to express my keen thanks to both Bill Boyd and Bluebird.  Your kindness in this regard has been HUGELY appreciated I'm sure not only by myself - as it most sincerely is - but by many on the BcoF site.  Bless you for ALL.  

[barton22]

Ballet doesn't seem like good value for money anymore. I don't think I can afford to see anything live next year, especially if I've seen it many times before (like R&J, new casts or not!) :-(  Without getting too political, incomes haven't exactly been on the rise in the last few years, so I don't think the ROH can justify this jump in prices. I think the high prices might be justified if its used to subsidise new work, but if its to subsidise the Connectome/Raven girl bill, well it feels like a bit of a slap in the face.

 

I think at least part of the reason for the price rises is that government grants to arts organizations keep getting cut (or at least not increased) by governments of all flavours.  The money has to come from somewhere and after years of declining state support many arts organizations have already gone a fair way towards paring back on their overhead.  If standrads are to be maintained and dancers and other employees not to be paid worse than they are at this stage, revenue needs to be raised.  I suspect that without the seemingly ever expanding bar and restaurant and other commercial activities at the ROH (irritating as some of this expansion can be), ticket prices would need to have increased even more.

[alison]

It came in answer to Bruce Wall's question.  The information is available in the ROH Magazine which is sent to Friends of Covent Garden.  The magazines are sent to Friends in batches.  This is why some Friends received it two weeks ago, others only in the last few days.

 

Thanks, Bluebird.

 

I think at least part of the reason for the price rises is that government grants to arts organizations keep getting cut (or at least not increased) by governments of all flavours.  The money has to come from somewhere and after years of declining state support many arts organizations have already gone a fair way towards paring back on their overhead.  If standrads are to be maintained and dancers and other employees not to be paid worse than they are at this stage, revenue needs to be raised.  I suspect that without the seemingly ever expanding bar and restaurant and other commercial activities at the ROH (irritating as some of this expansion can be), ticket prices would need to have increased even more.

 

Very true.  But ticket prices going up is one thing: a 50% increase is something else altogether.

[aileen]

I can't imagine me ever paying £127 to see a ballet. I occasionally sit in the stalls or grand tier but I have never paid anything like that. The more expensive seats at the Coliseum are beginning to look like a bargain compared to the ROH. Let's hope that there will be some interesting visiting companies next season. I'd love to see NYCB.

 

Btw, where is the best place to sit in the stalls at the ROH? When I sat in row E recently I was very disappointed as my view was quite obscured by a couple of tall people sitting in rows in front of me. I felt shortchanged. I assume that the rake is not as steep as further back.

[Bruce Wall]

 Let's hope that there will be some interesting visiting companies next season. I'd love to see NYCB.

 

 

 

Aileen, sadly you won't be seeing NYCB in London.  Peter Matins in an open forum made that perfectly clear given his disappointment with the presenters during the Company's last London visit in 2008.  (NYCB hadn't been in London at that juncture for a quarter of century.)  However, please know Aileen that NYCB has a three week season at the Chatalet in Paris in summer 2016.  Seats there are much less expensive, especially if you buy them at the Chatalet Box Office itself.  

 

Still, this is entirely off the stated topic.  Just wanted to respond to Aileen's point.  Best now to return to matters specifically pertaining to the RB's 2015-16 season.  

Edited April 27, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[A frog]

 

 

 

Very true.  But ticket prices going up is one thing: a 50% increase is something else altogether.

 

I assume that with the triple bills lately selling out quite often they reckoned they could get away with it (and I hope for them they will), and after all similar companies charge the same for full evening length works and triple bill (POB certainly does for instance).

Anyway, it certainly makes me more relaxed about having let my membership lapse, I can't imagine I'll book much next year.

Edited April 27, 2015 by A frog

[SPD444]

Like you aileen I have paid top dollar and bought what I thought was a good seat in the stalls and been very disappointed. One in particular comes to mind when I was on row B ( second from front ) for Alice only to have someone who must have been seven feet tall sit in front of me and I couldn't see a thing without leaning from one side to the other depending on where the action was. Now I try and get front row in the stalls circle, bit further away but clear view.

 

I think you are right the rake in the first few rows is not as good as farther back.

[Sunrise]

I can't imagine me ever paying £127 to see a ballet. I occasionally sit in the stalls or grand tier but I have never paid anything like that. The more expensive seats at the Coliseum are beginning to look like a bargain compared to the ROH. Let's hope that there will be some interesting visiting companies next season. I'd love to see NYCB.

 

Btw, where is the best place to sit in the stalls at the ROH? When I sat in row E recently I was very disappointed as my view was quite obscured by a couple of tall people sitting in rows in front of me. I felt shortchanged. I assume that the rake is not as steep as further back.

 

Row H on the sides behind the stairs is the best place as there's no one in front of you. These seats do go quite quickly during advanced booking though. I love row A on the sides as well. It's a little cheaper and you miss some of their feet when the dancers go half way up the stage, but you make up for it in proximity. It's great for dramatic ballets like Manon and Mayerling. With the very ends, you might miss a tiny bit of action on the sides so might have to pick carefully, for Juliet's balcony etc. The centre is fine too but you might find the conductor a distraction. If these aren't available, I'd also suggest the stalls side aisle seats, as you are able to look through the gap in the aisle, though it doesn't guarantee a clear view. Or you could sit in the back row of the stalls and pile more things to sit on without worrying about anyone behind you. Believe me, I've sat all over the stalls and the rake is better after the firsts five rows, but its generally bad everywhere, so I've never had an unobscured view. When I was a student I used sit on piles of text books, coats, and my legs until they went numb.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Sunrise

[A frog]

Aileen, sadly you won't be seeing NYCB in London.  Peter Matins in an open forum made that clear after his disappointment with the presenters during their last visit in 2008.  Please know Aileen that NYCB has a three week season at the Chatalet in Paris in summer 2016.  Seats there are much less expensive.  

 

Would you mind expanding on what the disappointments were?

[Bruce Wall]

Would you mind expanding on what the disappointments were?

 

That is outside the specific remit of this page, Frog.  I will send you a PM so that the page can keep on course.  

[barton22]

Would you mind expanding on what the disappointments were?

 

I am sure Bruce will answer, but as they were at the Coliseum I suspect it is the usual issue of the Coliseum totally failing to promote non-opera events and so the companies struggle to sell all the sets and lose money.

Edited April 27, 2015 by barton22

[alison]

That wasn't my understanding.  However, as Bruce says, this is veering wildly off-topic.

[barton22]

Row H on the sides behind the stairs is the best place as there's no one in front of you. These seats do go quite quickly during advanced booking though. I love row A on the sides as well. It's a little cheaper and you miss some of their feet when the dancers go half way up the stage, but you make up for it in proximity. The centre is fine too but you might find the conductor a distraction. It's great for dramatic ballets like Manon and Mayerling. Otherwise I've sat all over the stalls and the rake is bad everywhere, so I've never had an unobscured view. 

 

Generally if you can get a seat on the outside of the aisle you have a pretty clear view as your line of vision is across the aisle and not around the head of the person in front.  These seats go early, though; and the ones on the auditorium left side are often preferred by critics and allocated to them.

[SPD444]

"Row H on the sides behind the stairs is the best place. They do go quite quickly during advanced booking though."

 

Yes, I agree, with the above. But I have been a Friend+ for a while now and never been able to get one, they have always gone before we can book.

[alison]

Generally if you can get a seat on the outside of the aisle you have a pretty clear view as your line of vision is across the aisle and not around the head of the person in front.  These seats go early, though; and the ones on the auditorium left side are often preferred by critics and allocated to them.

 

And on the right, too.  There just aren't enough to go around!

[Beryl H]

Well, I liked Connectome and a reworked Raven Girl (or just with proper lighting) sounds incredibly good value for money, my usual ticket only costs £12 for this programme against £35 for Nutcracker and R and J. 

[Sunrise]

And on the right, too.  There just aren't enough to go around!

 

Yes, it's unbelievable that there are only a dozen or so acceptable seats in the stalls that guarantee a clear a view, especially given their price tag. They should come with a warning for anyone under, say, 5'5. I wouldn't have guessed that the auditorium was renovated only 20 years ago. 

 

On the plus side, if you are struggling to see, you can always complain to the House manager - if there are seats available (and I know this is rare now), they have a list of seats that are empty and they will move you. Well that was the case last time I complained years ago. If your dignity permits it, you could also ask for an inflatable cushion :-)

[SPD444]

"On the plus side, if you are struggling to see, you can always complain to the House manager - if there are seats available (and I know this is rare now), they have a list of seats that are empty and they will move you. Well that was the case last time I complained years ago. If your dignity permits it, you could also ask for an inflatable cushion"

 

I have seen those but thought they were for children.  To be honest, forget dignity, if I have paid £100+ for a seat and couldn't see then I will hire two...... oh? what about the person behind me???

[aileen]

Thanks for your replies on the subject of seating, everyone. I have sat further back in the stalls and slightly to the side and not had a problem but perhaps I was just lucky.

[Guest]

"On the plus side, if you are struggling to see, you can always complain to the House manager - if there are seats available (and I know this is rare now), they have a list of seats that are empty and they will move you. Well that was the case last time I complained years ago. If your dignity permits it, you could also ask for an inflatable cushion"

 

 

Asking for help from the House Manager  didn't work for me yesterday when I realised before the show started that I wasn't going to be able to see the stage at all (really!). The somewhat curt refusal was on the basis that the Duty Manager didn't "have a computer available". I was referred to the Box Office which couldn't effect an exchange because "the only seats left (were) of a lower value than the ones I had." I did try using a cushion but was concerned not to cause problems for the people behind me. So, basically, I attended an orchestral event with the 'bonus' of seeing a bit a scenery and the top of the maypole.

[alison]

I was referred to the Box Office which couldn't effect an exchange because "the only seats left (were) of a lower value than the ones I had."

 

That's not always been known to stop them.  I think I was once moved from row H (sides) to row S in the amphi.

[Mary]

I would just say- book the amphi!

 

 

and if you want to lash out for a special treat go for the Grand Tier where you can always see.....( and also see some interesting RB people often as well)

[Fonty]

I remember a time when my husband used to get 2 seats in the stalls and we would go to the ballet for my birthday treat. And that included a meal out as well.

 

It must have been a very long time ago. 

Edited April 27, 2015 by Fonty