Best bet is to wait in line for standing room tickets on the day of the opera. Tickets are very inexpensive and gets you into a great location. Take a tour of the opera one day, it is quite informative and impressive.

The problem with standing room is that I'm going to be dragging my brother to the opera with me. He's already a little negative on going to the opera, I doubt that he'd go for 3 hours of opera while standing up.

There are web sites for both Die Volksoper and Die Staatsoper. Of the two, Die Staatsoper is the high priced spread. The performances are usually cast with international stars.

Die Volksoper tends to present somewhat lighter fare, such as the operettas of Straus and Lehar. However, I have seen such heavyweights as La Traviata there.

I found the performances at Die Volksoper to be fully satisfactory, and fun as well.

At Die Staatsoper, the schedule is this for early April.
1st. The Barber of Seville
2nd. La Traviata
3rd. Barber of Seville
4th. The Tales of Hoffman
5th. La Traviata
6th. Ballett: Choreographische Welten
7th. The Tales of Hoffman
8th. La Traviata
9th. Tosca
10. same ballett
11th. Die Zauberflöte (magic flute)
12th. Tosca
13th. Ballett Spartacus
14th. Die Zauberflöte

I would call for tickets. The educated Austrians know English, usually 8 years of it.
+43 (0)1 514 44 2250 Allow for the 6 hours time difference.
You cannot buy until one month before the performance.

I don't think you dial the 0 from the states, but someone else please comment.

For Die Volksoper, use email. I have for 4 performances and got good tickets.
tickets@volksoper.at

April 4 Wiener Blut, Johann Strauss
April 5 Die Hochzeit des Figaros
April 6 the opera ball, what ever that is
April 7 Winener Blut

My favorite, The Merry Widow is not on in April; neither is Die Fledermaus or any of the other lighter ones.

Hope this helps.

Standing at the opera can actually be a bit of fun. The secret is to RUN up the stairs as soon as the door is open and then tie your scarf onto the rail at the front of the standing room area. You can then go to the bar for a drink and when the performace is about to start claim your spot. All a bit of a carnival atmosphere.

My husband and I booked ahead for one opera visit, and then another night did a standing room one. The second opera starred Placido Domingo, so we got pretty good value for our few dollars. It is so cheap to stand that if your brother is not enjoying it you can leave any time without feeling you did your dough. If you pay $200 for proper tickets and he hates it well....

If you could post the URL for the State Opera. I would appreciate it - I did try a search but could not find it

www.wiener-staatsoper.at

Although I attended 50+ performances as a child at the Met in the standing room section, I don't recommend it for anyone.

I think the tickets for your performances will go on sale March 1; non-subscription seats to good performances do sell out very quickly.

MDM@DiscoveringRussia.com

Tickets in the middle price ranges go very quickly. In fact, for some performances, I don't think more than a handful ever make it to the web site to be sold; they are gone already, probably to season ticket holders.

The ones that are left are usually in the two highest price categories, like 178 E and 157E for the Class A price category, or down in the lowest categories for perhaps 9 E. I looked at the seating diagram, but I could not tell for sure if those tickets were behind a post, and would be described in German as Sichtbehindert, or what.
When I tried to make enquiries of the system all I got was errors and rejections. It did not matter which browser I used, all it did was screw up.
(Hmm that seems to be the style these days. Must be a terrorist plot.)

FYI, "Sichtbehindert" means obstructed view.

Well, if your seat was behind a post, I think you would agree that your sight line was indeed obstructed!!
I cannot think of any other reason why a 9E seat would be immediately next to a 27E seat. They are too close together for the reason to be distance from the stage and, therefore, diminished sound quality. Perhaps the overhang of the balcony above could obstruct the view, but if you are up high, chances are it is the railing or some other projection that would be the culprit.
At any rate, the seating diagram yielded no obvious clue to me why the two seats would be radically different in price yet were next to each other.

www.metopera.org/synopses/

Definitely go see Wiener Blut at the Volksoper. You can order tickets direct from them by faxing or e-mailing them a credit card number. It is totally safe (We have been to 2 performances and ordered over the net both times) and the best way to secure good tickets. The thing with Wiener Blut is you won't be able to see something like that anywhere else. I have seen Grafin Maritza and Der Zigeurnerbaron there. Both were excellent!
site address is:
http://www.volksoper.at/Content.Node2/home/eninfo/2222.php
You will love it!
Make sure to stop across the street at the Volksoper cafe for an after opera bite to eat and apertif.

The information so far has been wonderful, thank you so much. Is it the general concensus that I should order the tickets by phone ahead of time?? or have the concierge at our hotel get us tickets?? or do last minute tickets?? or standing room?? I want to see at least one opera while I'm there and I hate to leave it to chance. There are several that I'd be very happy to see.
Oh, I know that you have to wait until a month ahead of time to get tickets to the staatsoper but can you purchase the tickets to the volksoper earlier? and are there still standing room tickets to the volksoper or should I defintely purchase those tickets?
Thank you all so much for your advice.

Dear Jessica, It is not the case that you have to wait until a month ahead of time to get tickets to the Staatsoper. On January 14 I called the box office (they do speak English) to find out about availability and categories and prices of tickets for four performances between March 30 and April 11. I faxed my order and credit card and got a confirmation a couple of days later. As suggested earlier, they only had tickets left in the two highest price categories.
The web site is indeed maddening but it useful for downloading the seating plan and price schedules.

A correction: I received the confirmation by mail six days later. The tickets are held at the box office.

As the wife of an absolute opera addict, I can tell you...do NOT go standing room. It will make your brother hate opera. We bought our tickets in advance. If you get from hotel you will pay much, much extra. But the opera is excellent. We saw an excellent Hoffman at the Staatsoper. It is worth going even if you are not an opera fan.

We attended an opera performance in November. Called ahead and ordered tickets. When my wife asked on phone if anyone speaks English the lady said everyone does. We saw the Masked Ball and loved it. Tried to get tickets to another opera while we were there and all were sold out. Definitely get them ahead.

Jessica;
Definitely do not let your hotel get them. You will overpay murderously.
As I said in my first message to you,
e-mail the volksoper, they will tell you what they have available. Their site also has a seating plan so you can tell them what general area in which you want to sit.
As I said, both times we ordered by credit card via e-mail and had absolutely no problems and the seats were great.

Is it worth the higher price to go to opera in the Staatsoper vs. the Volksoper?

The Staatsoper is gorgeous and really a nicer venue than the Volksoper. I would spend the money on seats to the Staatsoper.
I saw The Lohengrin at the Staatsoper...fantastic experience!

There is a website where you can read synopsis of various operas. I can't recall what it is, but, it would be worthwhile trying to find one. It does enhance one's operatic experience, imho.
Enjoy! Vienna is gorgeous!!!