Opera Garnier tix & seats
Feb 11th, 2002, 05:43 PM
#2
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I'll be there exact same time and purchased my tix online directly from www.opera-de-paris.com. I bought 2 tix as soon as they went on sale (for ballet Hurlevent) online (1/14, I think), and there were tix at many different price levels. A couple of weeks later I went back in and purchased 2 more (2 friends decided to join us); at that point there were only the most expensive and least expensive seats left. I ordered the most expensive again, and the seat numbers are 1 and 3; my guess is that these 2 are far left or right. On the other hand, perhaps just as in other cities, people turn tix in at last minute and therefore make seats available. However,if I wanted to make sure I got there, I'd buy online. I only had to pay a service charge of something like 2.5 Euros for each seat, and I have the tickets in my possession. I hope whatever you decide to do works out for you.
Feb 11th, 2002, 06:55 PM
#3
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I've always gotten good seats onsite by buying in Paris at the box office within a few days to a week before in summer, but I don't know how busy it is in winter. It obviously depends a lot on the performance, also, and how popular it is. I would definitely buy online if you can for the date you want. That isn't far away, though, so I wouldn't count on it (sometimes you can't get tickets online close to the date even when some are available, in my experience). As for good seats, there is a plan online that shows you general areas by price which is fairly specific, but you will probably have to accept what you can get at this point. I don't recall if you can know exact seat numbers online (I think they tell you), but you can buying at the box office. You usually have better luck getting a last minute ticket if you only need one seat, of course.
Feb 12th, 2002, 12:54 AM
#6
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Ursula, you ARE the best! And I did manage to figure out the opera-de-paris site. That site says the two productions showing in the time period I'll be there are sold out. But the ticketavenue site says they still have some tix for one night. Does that make sense? Is it okay to deal with credit card over the internet? What are the odds of getting a single seat due to a cancellation?<BR><BR>Thank you everyone! There's always Bastille!<BR><BR>Sue, happen to have an extra ticket??!!
Feb 12th, 2002, 01:09 AM
#7
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clady: I have no experience purchasing tickets online, sorry. But I am thinking about it for my next trip to Paris in May. I was really upset not to find anything in December.<BR>Ticketavenue has own probably a own contingents they have purchased in advance. I did not check the prices, but they may be little higher, although I wouldn't care, as long as I would get tickets. I don't think there are any odds with a single seat due to a cancellation. You can be very lucky, if it should happen to be good seat. <BR>PS: For ballets, I only want good seats. It's too bad to spend any money, when you hardly see anything.<BR>Good luck, clady, and enjoy Paris.
Feb 12th, 2002, 01:19 AM
#8
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Ursula, you've been extremely helpful. Thank you so much. I feel so stupid for not having taken this more seriously sooner. The ticket at ticketavenue is high, but I agree with you about having good seats. <BR><BR>I may go for it online. Hopefully someone will post about thier experience with this company: if they got the tix ok, etc. <BR><BR>Thank you again, Ursula. I hope you get primo seats for your next Parisian excursion.
Feb 12th, 2002, 04:33 AM
#9
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Hi Clady-we used ticketavenue the last trip to Paris.I have spoken to them on the phone and done it through email.They are sooo helpful and very nice.It is very easy-they have someone at the Garnier with the tickets the night of the performance.Get there a couple of minutes early,walk around and admire the incredible Opera House,there is nothing like it! Enjoy!<BR>besides www.ticketavenue-there is www.hotelboulevard.com that they participate in.
Feb 12th, 2002, 11:07 AM
#11
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Sue, small world. I leave the 25th. What night is your performance for? Do you mind my asking what you paid for tickets? I would only need one.<BR><BR>I still may take the plung and do the other performance online. Don't recall the name - Platee? It's 143 euro through ticketavenue.<BR><BR>Thanks everyone for your help!
Feb 12th, 2002, 02:59 PM
#14
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Clady, I am sorry I thought there was an English section on the Opera de Paris site. Here is some info on how to get tickets which I posted in response to another question on this topic elsewhere (try to get Garnier if you can and haven't seen it):<BR><BR><<The Opera de Paris website is best as there is no (or maybe little) ticket markup in comparison to agencies which do charge a fee, of course. However, they don't always sell all their tickets online for some reason -- once you select a performance, you may get a notice no tickets are being sold online. This doesn't mean necessarily there aren't any, as I've bought them in person at their box office when I couldn't get them online. <BR><BR>There are several web sites where you can buy them and which have convenient search capabilities and program listings and info. http://www.ticketavenue.com is very user friendly but I think marks up the tickets more than some others. I think http://www.ticketnet.fr or http://www.omniticket.fr have better prices, at least on ballet, and have English lang. sections. For example, for a ticket to Don Quixote ballet at the Bastille on 4/22, Ticketavenue's top price is 87euros, while ticketnet is 72 and omniticket is 74 (base price at Bastille is 64 euros). So, it looks like about a 10 pct handling fee (or about US$7-$9) which is about what I'd expect from a ticket agency (that's what I have to pay in US to get tickets online or from an agency where I live, also). These sites have lots of other entertainment options and tickets, also. <BR><BR>Another option is the international booking office Globaltickets (which is also Edwards & Edwards, they've been around a long time, I've bought from them pre-internet). No online orders, it appears at http://www.globaltickets.com but you can email them directly or call their NY US office free with an 800 number. I don't know what their prices are.>> <BR><BR>
Feb 12th, 2002, 11:23 PM
#15
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Christina, wow! what fabulous & detailed information. I did, eventually figure out how to access at least parts of the Opera site in English. I'm not able to get Garnier tix for ballet on any site, for the week I'll be there. <BR><BR>Of course, 3 days after I leave Paris there are 12 performances of another ballet, all available!!<BR><BR>The site mentioned exactly what you said; not all seats are available for sale online. I may take the risk & wait til I get there, or just book the ballet at Bastille for now, so I have something! It's still the ballet in Paris, even if it's not at Garnier (that's what I'm telling myself).<BR><BR>Thanks everyone!
Feb 13th, 2002, 01:29 AM
#16
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Yahoo! I got a ticket for Hurlevent!! It's the third category, instead of the 1st, but at least I got a ticket!<BR><BR>There was an emal address in the terms for sale link on the website. Got a quick response. Basically all it took was a phone call to Paris! I can't believe the ticket was only 24 euro!<BR><BR>Thanks again!
Feb 13th, 2002, 01:23 PM
#18
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Hi Ursula, you've been so helpful. Thank you. <BR><BR>I emailed the Opera, then they had me phone the Opera Ticket office. I don't know why I didn't think of that before! The numbers are 08 92 69 78 68, or 08 36 69 78 68.<BR><BR>So, keep that in mind for your next trip!
