Po_W

Hello,

I want to see the opera "The Marriage of Figaro" which comes out in decembre 26 held by Vienne State Opera while booking the ticket I got a bit confused by several things on the form : need help!

1. How to deal with the "accepted commission surcharge"?
2. I do not quite understand the "ticket accepted until xxx". If the ticket is sent by letter (i don't know) and I fill in with a date just after I took the plane to Vienne (because i'm in France), that's to say I cannot get the ticket which is sent to my home? How to set this date?
3. Is that one ticket corresponds to one person only? If I book 2 tickets in one time using one name, can a friend of mine use it?
4. As the Figaro appeals in decembre if i book now it's in advance, i want to get a seat much closer to the stage but i've no idea how to make it, In fact on the website I cannot choose the row of seats, but only an area which extends several rows.
5. An extra question, I'll arrive in Vienne just on the Christmans day, are shops (for example the gift shop and CD shops) still open? (in fact it's Sunday)

Thanks so much.

janisj

Maybe some of your questions are answered in this thread from a couple of years ago (it was just topped a few minutes ago)

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ketbooking.cfm

yk

Which website are you using? the only places that are selling tickets to your particular performance RIGHT NOW are 3rd party ticket agents.

Tickets for the Dec 26 Figaro performance are released for sale by the Staatsoper <u>exactly one month</u> prior, so if you go to the Staatsoper website on November 26, you can purchase tickets for the Dec 26 Marriage of Figaro. The Staatsoper uses culturall.com as its ticket agent - the tickets you buy via them will have no mark-up or any commission or surcharges.

Po_W

Thanks for your attention, in fact I'm using culturall.com, as it's my first time to book a ticket in Austria I'm not quite familiar how it works, I noticed that on this site I can even purchase tickets for the performance in november, for example, the play on 6 november DIE WALKÜRE by Richard Wagner already shows "sold out", and we can see the free seats left for these plays. So I'm wondering whether it's necessary to book the Dec 26 Marriage of Figaro now?

yk

Po_W, sorry, I was mistaken in my previous post. Tickets go on sale 2 months prior to the performance, so you should be able to buy Marriage of Figaro tickets today for Dec 26.


From Staatsoper website
http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/Cont...lgemein.en.php

<i>BOX OFFICE SALES, INTERNET SALES AND PHONE SALES
Ticket sales at ticket offices normally start <u>two months before the performance date</u> (e.g. on 1st September for 1st November, on 30th September for 30th November). Tickets to performances between 1st and 30th September will be sold from 1st to 30th May and for performances between 1st and 31st October from 1st to 30th June. The same rules apply to Internet ticket sales on the Vienna State Opera’s web site, www.wiener-staatsoper.at, and on www.culturall.com.</i>

molker

Just to add a few things to the above - buying via the Opera website / Culturall - means that you are buying directly not via a broker or agent - thus you pay normal box office price - not a mark up-

But if you wish December 26 - book now - this is a Holiday in Austria - add this and hordes of tourists so a big demand.

You can buy via a ticket agent but realize you will pay a 20- 30 % premium over actual ticket price-

you can buy via the stand- by system and this will normally work- ( escepting some premieres or especially popular performance no added commision - this submission available in english - you can buy multiple tickets - and by price you wish - but not the actual seat ( rather by area Parkett etc. ) the Opera will later advise you of tickets available and you can buy as you wish.

Another alternative is using your hotel concierge - they can always produce tickets - but again at a big premium.

Po_W

Thanks for all your replies dear friends, I know this performance be in a great demand because it's just one day after Christmas. I still have three problems now :

1. for the "accepted commission surcharge" is that means if I pay (for example)50 euro as the surcharge I can get a certainty of my ticket?

2. still the problem with the "ticket accepted until xxx". As I'm in France I don't know how to choose a deadline for my ticket.

3. I noticed that to demand the ticket we have to take a number of "minimum" and "maximum". But I'm not quite sure if one ticket just corresponds to one person only(because it's under my name). If I book 2 tickets, can a friend of mine use one of them?

Thanks!

easytraveler

Po-W: I'm not certain i can answer some of your questions.

Just to confirm some of the above posts:

culturall is definitely the official website and not a third-party agency

you can book a ticket two months ahead of time


As for your other questions:

I'm not certain, without seeing the actual webpage, what exactly you are referring to, since procedures change.

You can request a ticket months before, but it's on standby until the tickets are released two months before the performance date.

If a ticket is available, it will be assigned to you and will be charged against the credit card that you gave when you made the initial commitment. This is the way I have received standby tickets. It's not a guarantee that you will receive a ticket, especially when it's a popular performance, but it's good to get your order in now.

If you pre-order two tickets you will get two tickets if available. You can either print out the ticket online or request "will -call", i.e., that you will pick up the tickets at the Staatsoper on the day of the performance. Whichever delivery method you choose, print out a copy of the confirmation of your order.

To increase your chances at getting tickets for a specific performance, you can place several requests, but IN DIFFERENT PRICE CATEGORIES.


Another way to see the performance is to try and get standing room tickets. This means you will have to spend almost the entire day of the performance lined up outside, at least no later than from noon onward. The early arrivals will be allowed indoors at a certain time, whereas the later arrivals will have to wait outdoors. Standing room tickets start selling at 80 minutes before the performance and it's strictly one person one ticket, so if there are two of you, BOTH must be in line. Also you cannot stand in line at noon and then have your friend join you at 3pm. However, if you both show up at noon and then your friend leaves a hat or somethng to indicate that he's been there at noon and that he has gone off (to get a bite to eat, to go to the rest room,etc), that is permitted. There are 567 standing room tickets. The best sound and sight are on the balcony level. There has been quite a bit written about how to get standing room tickets, if you are so interested.

Another way, if it offered, is to stay outside and see the opera for free. There is a large screen in the plaza on the right hand side (if you are standing facing the opera house). Sometimes an opera is shown there simulcast, sometimes not.

Hope this helps a bit.

Liesl

So - - - if you order standby tickets 5 months in advance, and then the box office opens the performance to purchases 2 months in advance, do you then get confirmation of purchase 2 months in advance with the opportunity to print them out online?

easytraveler

Yes, that's what happened for me in the past, provided that there are tickets available for you.

BUT, I must give a big caveat, procedures change, so I would make certain this is still the procedure this year. (You can also write to culturall with specific questions.)

I have ordered tickets 8 months in advance and not gotten them. Vienna Staatsoper has an "abonnement" (subscription) process and for popular performances or holidays, those subscription purchasers almost never give up their tickets.

That's why the "easier" way is to get standing room tickets on the day of the performance. If you really wanted to see the performance, you'd get in that wait line early.

Liesl

Thank you. I have never encountered such a convoluted purchase process in my entire life!

easytraveler

You're welcome, Liesl.

Good luck to you on getting tickets!

And if you do...enjoy the opera!

yk

I did see the "accepted commission surcharge" on the culturall website (English version). I don't have any experience in ordering standby tickets.

I will say that I have purchased Staatsoper tickets twice in the past and was successful - both times I bought them on the very first day they became avail to the public online (so, in your case, October 26). So, Po_W, if you don't want to go through the ordering of standby tickets, you still have the chance to buy them directly online when they become avail on October 26.

molker

Do not consider the out door screen option posted above - this is only provided in late Spring and eraly fall periods.

Not December .

Po_W

Thanks easytraveler and other friends! I received an email this morning (I ordered it yesterday evening after reading easytraveler's reply) and it says:

"We are happy to to inform you that we were able to allocate the following tickets to you "
It is a balkon seat well situated.

Just burst into tears of joy. And the only thing remains to print the invoice and pick up the ticket in december? Nothing else?

Many thanks.

easytraveler

Say, Po_W, that's really great! Congratulations!

As for just printing the invoice - not sure. It depends on which boxes you checked when you made the order.

Did the confirmation from culturall come with an eticket? If so, you have to print out the eticket as well. Then guard the eticket well! I sometimes wait to print out the eticket in Vienna because it's simpler. If the eticket is lost - oh boy!

Great news! Really happy for you!

Po_W

OK I'll remember that! A great many thanks for all your help!

easytraveler

Opera in Vienna - so civilized, so delightful! Enjoy!