Concert at St. Chapelle question

Old Sep 16th, 2014, 09:14 AM
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Concert at St. Chapelle question

This is the concert. http://www.classictic.com/en/a_littl.../19592/203454/ I am not well versed in this type of music but it seems too good to pass up. I have been there and imagine it would be magical Do I need to get advance tickets?
And can you tell me your concert experience there?
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 09:19 AM
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We saw Vivaldi ' s Four Seasons there. It was amazing. We got tickets at shop just across the street from entrance.
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 09:22 AM
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We've gone to a couple of concerts at St Chapelle and truly enjoyed the music in that setting. We used http://www.ampconcerts.com/ to reserve....looks like it might be cheaper than your site for the same concert.

I reserved but didn't have to pay until I picked up the tickets on my way into the concert. Last year my husband was sick the evening of the concert (due to an unfortunate meal choice the evening before) and I expected to pay for his ticket since I had reserved the seat. They just charged for my ticket.
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 09:27 AM
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I always like to buy tickets in advance, because you just never know how - especially with a venue as popular as this one has become. So, if at all possible, I recommend it.

The line begins forming around 6 PM or so, to get in to the concert. You can either buy tickets inside, or buy them in advance from a reputable online site. I use www.classictic.com or www.billetreduc.com Print and bring the voucher with you, no ID needed.

It's a small venue and the seats are not reserved. If you want to see the musicians, you'll need to get there early, to sit in front. The program doesn't change often, but depends on the time of year. It lasts about 1 hour. Lately, it's been Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons".
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 10:38 AM
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I don't really call it small, but I would get tickets in advance. We wanted to go to an All Saints Day concert and it was sold out.
It is a lovely evening.l. The venue can be a bit chilly.
There aren't reserved seats but if you line up early, you can get a seat near the front--which is fun, because the musicians do ham it up a bit.
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 04:40 PM
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Attending a concert at St. Chapelle is one of my lifetime highlights. Try to go around sunset, when you will see different pieces of glass glimmer and fade as the sunlight while listening. Truly magnificent!

Reserve ahead unless you are willing to forego the experience. And as others have said, go early to get a good seat.

Enjoy!
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 04:57 PM
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We attended a classical Easter concert at St. Chapelle on the night before Easter 2012. It was fantastic. The music was as beautiful as the setting. We did not buy tickets in advance. We lined up inside the courthouse about 30 minutes early and bought tickets at the door. There was a nice crowd, but no one was turned away even though it was a Saturday night on a holiday weekend. If you have decided to attend at this time and date, you might as well reserve in advance to be safe.
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 06:29 PM
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Absolutely do it! An amazing experience. I bought my tickets in advance. I saw a Vivaldi concert but I would imagine anything there would be a very memorable experience.
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Old Sep 16th, 2014, 07:44 PM
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I just noticed that the orchestra was Les Violons de France. We heard them perform at La Madeline Church a few years ago and they were excellent. You will enjoy this concert. Go ahead and book it.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 12:11 AM
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The setting is of course gorgeous and I wish we had followed the advice to go early enough to enjoy the light of the late sun.

One of the advantages of attending a concert is that you get to walk around looking at details that crowds would prevent you from seeing during the day. You also get to hang around a lot while they are striking the venue before they shoo you out.

We paid extra for up front seats. Not necessary or even desirable. Which leads to the sad fact that

Ste Chapelle isn't a great place to listen to music if you are a music lover. The surfaces are all hard -- stone -- so the sound is harsh and bounces around a lot. This may actually be harder on the musicians than on the audience. We heard the Mozart Clarinet Quintet, and the clarinetist had a hard time hearing himself because of the echo.

Don't get me wrong. I would go back in a minute, but it is no Concertgebouw or Symphony Hall.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 03:08 AM
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I have been to two concerts there, but they were a pretty long time ago. At the time, you entered through the adjacent courthouse, which gave an interesting perspective on the space. Don't know whether this is still the case.

My memory is that in March it was very cold, a large stone room that might not have been heated. Dress accordingly.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 04:15 AM
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I agree with Ackislander and wouldn't go back. In my case it was a vocalist who had a lot of difficulty with the space. In addition to the problems of the acoustics there was (during the time I was there) a significant problem with people shifting around in their seats and causing wood joints to squeak and groan.

I was there in winter and the concert time was well after the sun had set so no chance for any sunset light on the stained glass. Fortunately I had been to the chapel at sunny hours and had other experiences of it, so that wasn't a disappointment.

The tip to dress warmly on a cold day is a good one.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 04:19 AM
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Oh -- I meant to add that I was sure I would enjoy it or else I wouldn't have booked it. Sometimes these predictions turn out to be wrong but that's true of any prediction and it is just a risk you take when you travel.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 05:12 AM
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bookmarking
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 05:39 AM
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Might be my faulty memory but the last time I was there I believe there were baffles to help with the sound. I've always had an enjoyable time, combination of the venue and decent music.

FNAC, several locations around Paris, also sells advance tickets to all the concerts in church venues plus for almost anything that's "on" in Paris. www.fnac.com Closest store is probably the one on St. Germain.

Without advance tickets, the queue is very long. Plan a bit extra time for security similar to an airport (but you get to keep your shoes on).
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 06:36 AM
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I appreciate all the replies. Thank you!
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 06:56 AM
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I most likely wouldn't go to these concerts on a regular basis, if I were a local but for a visitor -- I think they are a nice way to spend an evening in Paris. Perhaps a "bucket list" kind of activity similar to a visit to Versailles-- glad we went, but not likely to do a repeat visit.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 07:00 AM
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DebitNM, that's what I am thinking. And I checked the time of the sunset and it's 7:20. I hope it's a sunny day!
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 08:07 AM
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We actually went in during the day and the sun was indeed shining. Then on the way out, we saw the signs for the concerts and bought our tickets. At the time [October 2012] they were working on the windows so some of them were blocked from our view. Still well worth it, IMHO.
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Old Sep 17th, 2014, 08:20 AM
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Oh yes, definitely going during the day as well, preferably a sunny day.
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