metopera

Would like to attend performance, but cannot afford best seats. Are there advantages to
sitting on one side or the other...ABC or FGH...or higher up vs. lower down? Would like to take some great photos. Are taxis readily available after the performance? Also, will be in
Sydney for 3 days and anticipate using public transport from the airport and to the various
tourist sights, along with lots of walking. Any suggestions as to the best bus, ferry & train
ticket? Thanks in advance!

lavandula

Not sure about seating but I am pretty sure photos won't be allowed before or during the performance ... usually there is an announcement beforehand. That was my experience recently. Obviously outside you can snap your heart away - great views from the Opera Bar.

Yes to taxis - there are always taxis there, no problems.

Tickets and passes: http://www.131500.com.au/tickets . Many people would probably recommend taking a taxi to and from the airport if there's a couple of you travelling together, it's just a lot more convenient and the cost isn't much different if you're just going to the city or Eastern Suburbs.

Lavandula

Susan7

Do you mean a Handel opera at the Sydney Opera House? If so, then the lower down seats are much better than the higher up ones. No photography is allowed during the performances. It would be very distracting for the performers to have flash photography.

For public transport from the airport there is a ticket that costs about $15 one way. It stops at all of the city stations. For everyday use I use Travel Ten tickets (10 bus rides), you can buy them in most Newsagents and Convenience stores. You should check with the shop which ticket is best for your purposes.

BTW are they rationing personal pronouns now?

love_travel_Aus

To avoid confusion Susan7 -

http://www.operaonsydneyharbour.com.au/

And metopera - photography is usually not allowed within a venue - note this from the website I have included:
" The recording (audio or video) and taking of photos (including camera phones) during the performance is prohibited."

I think it will be an amazing experience - so hope you enjoy it.

AlanJG

Susan7 on Feb 21, 12 at 1:03pm "BTW are they rationing personal pronouns now?"

Love it! or
' love it! as a compromise position.

lavandula

Oops, I just read the link love_travel_Aus has posted - I assumed it was Opera House as well. Nevertheless I (also) assume there will be flotillas of taxis - I would be surprised if there were none!

At any rate there will be heaps of people making the walk through the Domain back to civilization (along Art Gallery Rd) - the Botanical Gardens is closed at that time of night - so if you walked you'd hardly be alone.

Lavandula

metopera

It should be an amazing experience love_travel_Aus, between the opera, the setting and fireworks! Thanks for the good wishes. Now let's hope for a clear, starry evening.

Lavandula, thanks for taking the time and interest to follow through and post a response that is spot-on! Getting to an event is one thing, but getting back to the hotel, from an unusual location, in a foreign city, after dark is quite another. I know, from past experiences, so your thoughts are both helpful and appreciated. Do you have any idea how long it would take to walk, medium pace, to the intersection of King & York? It doesn't look so far on the map, but then, it never does. And what are your predictions on the weather

lavandula

Let's see - I think it's quite a long way to King and York if you're going to walk down Mrs Macquarie's Rd / Art Gallery Rd. You come out just near St Mary's Cathedral, on College St. I'm not sure I would fancy cutting across the Domain itself, which is a big open space / parkland between the Art Gallery and Macquarie St - it's not 'closed', but it would be a bit dark, even if there are others doing the same thing. So I think I'd prefer to stick to the road, and get down to Elizabeth St. It will be quite dark as there are lots of trees!

If you wanted to catch a taxi from there and there wasn't one near the opera, I think you'd find a few more on Elizabeth St - walking slightly in the opposite direction from your destination there is a hotel, Sheraton on the Park, just opposite Hyde Park, and that might be a good place to find a cab. But honestly, after all that walking, you are more than halfway there to King and York. You could walk directly down King St, whereas a cab would have to take another route as King St is one way heading east. Another plus is that it's all downhill along King from Elizabeth St. So you could do the walk, but I'd figure that it would take at least 3/4 of an hour, conservatively. (Other Sydneysiders please feel free to offer an opinion here).

Although a lot of people may walk in the same direction, many would be walking to parked cars on Mrs Macquarie's Rd or to the Domain Car Park, which is near the end of Art Gallery Rd, or even to the car park of Cook and Phillip Pool (nr St Mary's Cathedral), so people would gradually be peeling off. You just might also find a few people headed to Martin Place railway station on foot (near intersection of Martin Place and Macquarie St).

I would not really have concerns about safety because Sydney is reasonably safe, but I've also heard the opinion that walking through Hyde Park isn't so safe at night (in spite of the lighting), so best stick to the roads!

Weather is anyone's guess - we've had a soft, rainy, cool summer (low 20s), with the odd warm day (30 degrees) here and there. February has been a little warmer, but still lots of rain. Bring an umbrella or rain poncho or something, you might need it some time during your stay.

Lavandula

lavandula

I just found the Ticketmaster recommendations for accessing Mrs Macquarie's Chair - it says taxis are called at the end of the performance, so I think your chances are quite good. Don't walk if you don't have to, it would frankly be a long one!

http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/Mrs-M...Y/venue/156062

Lavandula

metopera

Again Lavandula, thank you thank you! This is basically the route I plotted out, avoiding Hyde Park, but agree, nearly an hour, at night, is too long.