janisj

I'm about to pull the trigger on tix for the Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia). The few times I've been to the Opera House I've sat up high. This time I want to sit in either the Grand Tier or Stalls Circle. This will be a bit of a splurge and want as good a seat as possible -- which would you choose? Does it matter much?

thanks

annhig

jj - I'm afraid i'm not much use to you as it is about 25 years since I went to the ROH. I've got a feeling that we might have seen the Barber too!

i look for the best view I can get which IME largely depends on the rake of the seats - unless you are in the front row [and look out for rails that get in the way especially if you are short of stature] you want to be able to see over the head of the person in front of you.

The official website says that the Grand Tier is generally better:

http://www.officialtheatre.com/royal...house/seating/

I looked at some other places on the net but they weren't very helpful and lots of the comments were quite old. What I did fond was something called "theatre monkey" who said that he doesn't rate opera seats, partly because the ROH website is interactive and you can get an idea of what the view is like from many of the seats.

however, as another site points out, you can't get to look at these views unless you are actually booking seats.

have you been able to access this facility? I couldn't even get past the booking search engine!

janisj

Thanks annhig. Right now there are several seats available in the front row of both the Grand Tier and Stalls Circle so I wouldn't have to look over/around heads - but the railing <i>might</i> be a problem.

Guess I'll go w/ the Grand Tier because . . . well it just sounds so <i>Grand</i>

janisj

OK - its booked - Grand tier, front row, almost center stage. I decided to go whole hog and book dinner in the ROH Balconies Restaurant too . . . Apparently they will send me an email a few days ahead when the menu for my date is set and I must make my dinner selections no later than 3 days in advance (!). What if I change my mind and something else sounds better that night (?) - - - can't.

Oh well - I'd better select good . . . .

annhig

Oh my, grand tier AND the Balcony restaurant?

what an excellent idea - it's just what I would be doing.

please let us know all about it.

latedaytraveler

Hi JANISJ,

What are the dates of your stay in London? Have you made any other plans? Opera sounds great...

Smeagol

Janis, this won't help you as it doesn't cover the ROH but I thought it may be worth posting for future reference. I have used this website for years to get seat advice on many places in London.

http://www.theatremonkey.com/

janisj

Thanks - I know about theatre monkey. Use it for the few theaters I haven't been to before (or if one has had some major refurbishment) - but as you say it doesn't cover the Opera House.

I'll be in London Sept 25 - 30, then fly to Venice Oct 1 for 3 nights then back to London for just 1 night.

Yes - a pretty posh evening -- guess I'll have to gussy up a bit

Also wanted to do an evening champagne tour of B'ham Palace but the only available time was 3 hours after I land at LHR so a no go. Did book a regular tour of the Palace/Gallery/Mews. I've toured the Palace before but this year hey have a special exhibition of royal childhoods that looks terrific. Will start a thread in a couple of weeks to see if anyone is up for a GTG - after I decide on a couple of other things.

latedaytraveler

JANISJ, sorry that you can't make the champagne tour at the Palace. But do you expect to see the Royal Childhood exhibit another time?

I have never been in London late is the summer, so I have missed these tours. I would also like to see Clarence House...

janisj

"But do you expect to see the Royal Childhood exhibit another time? "

Yes, I'll see it since I booked the regular daytime tour. The champagne tours are small groups and - well -- they serve champagne . . . so I'm missing out there Bat the State rooms/Childhood exhibits are included on all the tours.

jz166

hi janisj, certainly you will have a good time, don't forget to pay the lovely double VAT.

europeannovice

We did the Royal Day out and I will eventually get to it in my trip report. The childhood exhibit was really cool. They show a picture of Lady Diana with William as a youngster in a green jump suit and then they have on display the jumpsuit. Lots of clothes, pushchairs or carriages, and toys on display with lots of nice videos and pictures projecting throughout the exhibit. It does get crowded in the daytime tours.

annhig

The childhood exhibit was really cool. They show a picture of Lady Diana with William as a youngster in a green jump suit and then they have on display the jumpsuit>>

no offence intended, en, but lots of brits [like me] see that as a non-sequitur - we really don't get this interest in the British Royal Family and the details of its doings. Why do you care?

flanneruk

"Why do you care?"

And, even if you do care (and I speak as a staunch monarchist) what on earth is the appeal of seeing the babyclothes of a mindbogglingly dull 32 year old? The first requirement of an heir to the throne (and the reason why, for all the good Camilla's doing to Charles' reputation, William might still knock his dad off the throne) is to be boring - and William's bloody good at it.

Changing the Guard or the Crown Jewels I can sort of understand (though obviously not to the point of going and looking at them myself). But gawping at the guy's babyclothes?

janisj

Actually -- I'm mostly interested in the photos and maybe dollI houses that sort of thing. I don't weepy over baby clothes

europeannovice

I don't know what the fascination is with royalty over here. Maybe we just want to see how the other half live.

Besides the pictures and clothes worn in the pictures, they have a few toys on display. I recall one dollhouse, lots of pushchairs and highchairs on display as well. The interesting thing to me is the video footage and I found it interesting that the clothes were obviously kept from when they were children in order to be on display.

I guess they have a different theme for a special exhibition each year when visiting Buckingham Palace and this year happens to be about their childhood. The main focus for the visit of course was to gawp at the state rooms and the exhibition is an added bonus.

Grandma

I'm a softy for the young royals.. check Daily Mail for pics (even tho I don't approve of the
Mail -
Don't know if a museum would entice me… but if your opera seat is the equivalent of the front row of the Grand Tier at the Met… I'm certain you'll have a great time. Just hope the
food at the ROH is better than that at the Grand Tier. -

Grandma

P.S. Who's singing?

janisj

Serena Malfi - Rosina
Michele Angelini - the Count
Lucas Meachem - Figaro

The only one I'm really familiar w/ is Lucas Meachem who has sung the role in San Francisco.