Paris need advice on buying Opera tickets in advance
Jul 26th, 2009, 12:42 PM
#1
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Paris need advice on buying Opera tickets in advance
I am trying to navigate my way to find tickets to Opéra National de Paris - Palais Garnier. I would prefer to buy them before we visit Paris to be assured of getting tickets. I've been to the website www.operadeparis.fr but it is difficult for me to figure out seating and pricing etc... Not to mention I believe this site only sells subscription tickets. Does anyone have any experience with buying tickets and knowing seating so forth? I would greatly appreciate any advice.
Thanks so much.
Thanks so much.
Jul 26th, 2009, 12:52 PM
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I'm not sure where you're having trouble. You CAN buy single tickets from the website, but you need to set up an account.
Here's a link to seating plan:
http://www.operadeparis.fr/cns11/liv...s.php?&lang=en
Which performance(s) are you looking at?
Here's a link to seating plan:
http://www.operadeparis.fr/cns11/liv...s.php?&lang=en
Which performance(s) are you looking at?
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:05 PM
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Maybe it's too early to buy them-- the dates that each show goes on sale is listed here: http://www.operadeparis.fr/cns11/liv...s.php?&lang=en
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:15 PM
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Thank you, yk. I don't know why I'm having such a time. I am now registered, but am still unable to find where to buy individual tickets. The event is in Platte, in December. I believe the tickets are now available. I've seen them listed on "ticket finder" sites.
Also, the seating chart is confusing, to me. What is the difference between the tarifs? I see the catagories in the colors, but the tarifs have me confusted.
Thanks so much for your help. I've bought many tickets to different events and online, but have never had this kind of trouble.
Also, the seating chart is confusing, to me. What is the difference between the tarifs? I see the catagories in the colors, but the tarifs have me confusted.
Thanks so much for your help. I've bought many tickets to different events and online, but have never had this kind of trouble.
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:21 PM
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yk's right- you need to go here:
http://www.operadeparis.fr/cns11/liv...tification.php
and set up an account. Then you log in to purchase your tickets. Prices will be listed- you can also find them on the page for each individual opera and ballet.
One thing is you can't choose a particular seat- you choose the price tier you want, but not the actual seat. Then the system will automatically offer you a ticket for a particular seat within the price tier you choose- you'll also get a link you can click that shows you the view of the stage from that seat. If you don't want that seat, you can close the window and keep trying until you get offered a seat you like.
It's possible that seats for the performance you want aren't on sale yet- right now they are only selling for performances until the end of October. If you're looking at something in Nov or Dec or 2010, you'll have to wait to get tickets- usually the website says when they go on sale.
In the meantime you could always register and practice ordering and looking at the "viewing window" to get a feel for the seats, so that when it comes time to buy your tickets you'll already have a good idea of what you want. Sometimes tickets can go really fast and you won't want to waste time figuring out the system at the time.
If you have your heart set on getting good seats for a particular performance, you might want to make note of the date it goes on sale and then set your alarm clock and wake up extra early that day to buy your tickets.
http://www.operadeparis.fr/cns11/liv...tification.php
and set up an account. Then you log in to purchase your tickets. Prices will be listed- you can also find them on the page for each individual opera and ballet.
One thing is you can't choose a particular seat- you choose the price tier you want, but not the actual seat. Then the system will automatically offer you a ticket for a particular seat within the price tier you choose- you'll also get a link you can click that shows you the view of the stage from that seat. If you don't want that seat, you can close the window and keep trying until you get offered a seat you like.
It's possible that seats for the performance you want aren't on sale yet- right now they are only selling for performances until the end of October. If you're looking at something in Nov or Dec or 2010, you'll have to wait to get tickets- usually the website says when they go on sale.
In the meantime you could always register and practice ordering and looking at the "viewing window" to get a feel for the seats, so that when it comes time to buy your tickets you'll already have a good idea of what you want. Sometimes tickets can go really fast and you won't want to waste time figuring out the system at the time.
If you have your heart set on getting good seats for a particular performance, you might want to make note of the date it goes on sale and then set your alarm clock and wake up extra early that day to buy your tickets.
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:24 PM
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cristeen, looking at the page for Platée, it looks like the price category is Tarif A.
If you look at the seating/price plan, imagine you're standing on the stage and looking back at the auditorium.
So, Cat 1, with seats in the front, are the most expensive.
Since this is shown at Palais Garnier, I would advise against buying the seats in the back of the loge boxes. I suppose the 2nd row in the loge box is perhaps okay, but definitely not the 3rd row in the loge box. Based on what I've read here, you really can't see much of anything sitting in the 3rd row in a box, because there is no incline in the boxes.
If you look at the seating/price plan, imagine you're standing on the stage and looking back at the auditorium.
So, Cat 1, with seats in the front, are the most expensive.
Since this is shown at Palais Garnier, I would advise against buying the seats in the back of the loge boxes. I suppose the 2nd row in the loge box is perhaps okay, but definitely not the 3rd row in the loge box. Based on what I've read here, you really can't see much of anything sitting in the 3rd row in a box, because there is no incline in the boxes.
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:25 PM
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Apres_Londee, Thank you. I did just mark my calendar for a few days earlier so I will get up. I would like a good seat, but the most important thing for me is that I get the tickets. I don't want to miss seeing an Opera in this Opera House during our stay.
I am also going to take your advice and practice so I know what to look for. Thanks! The catagories make sense to me on the website but the tarifs were throwing me off. I hadn't gone far enough to see actual seat selection and that seemed odd.
Thank you all for your help. It is much appreciated.
I am also going to take your advice and practice so I know what to look for. Thanks! The catagories make sense to me on the website but the tarifs were throwing me off. I hadn't gone far enough to see actual seat selection and that seemed odd.
Thank you all for your help. It is much appreciated.
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:33 PM
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Ah, I get it now! Each event is assigned a tarif or kind of like a price point. I am to look up what the assigned tarif is and then choose a seat by catagory. They show me the seat when I request and I can accept or decline and move on.
Got it! Thank you all so much! I think this event may be one of the highlights of our trip.
Got it! Thank you all so much! I think this event may be one of the highlights of our trip.
Jul 26th, 2009, 01:35 PM
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Which tarif column are you looking at? As I said earlier, the production you want to see is Tarif A. So Cat 1 tix are 138 euros, Cat 2 tix are 116 euros, Cat 3 tix are 70 euros ... and so on. If you put your cursor on top of each category color, you can see the seats of that category light up in the seating plan.
Perhaps other Fodorites can answer this (I don't know the answer): What time does the online booking start? Does it start at Midnight Central European time, or does it start at 10am? If it is MN, it's actually beneficial for us US-based folks, as that will be our afternoon/evening hours. If it is 10am, then it's PITA because that translates to middle of the night here.
Perhaps other Fodorites can answer this (I don't know the answer): What time does the online booking start? Does it start at Midnight Central European time, or does it start at 10am? If it is MN, it's actually beneficial for us US-based folks, as that will be our afternoon/evening hours. If it is 10am, then it's PITA because that translates to middle of the night here.
Jul 26th, 2009, 02:05 PM
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cristeen- this same production of Platee was recorded several years ago with Minkowski, Paul Agnew, the same cast- so if you're interested you could find the dvd and watch it ahead of time. I saw it a few years ago and I loved it.
Also if you're at all interested in/open to ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet is doing a Ballet Russe mixed program during the same period in December, at the Garnier- this will probably be the POB's blockbuster show of the season.
Also if you're at all interested in/open to ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet is doing a Ballet Russe mixed program during the same period in December, at the Garnier- this will probably be the POB's blockbuster show of the season.
Jul 27th, 2009, 03:14 AM
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Christeen ............ when I ordered my tickets about 4 years ago for the ballet at Palais Garnier, I got up at quarter of three in the morning and had the computer all set with 5 (five) open windows on the ticket ordering site. The tickets went on sale at 3:00 AM. That way I could bring up a stage view of the ticket being offered and choose the one I wanted. My ticket was delivered to my home address and I had it in my mail box within 5 days. Very impressed with their service.
Jul 27th, 2009, 03:58 AM
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goldwynn, are you on the east coast? Then I must have been mistaken about the time (maybe the 2am written in my calendar was the time I set the alarm clock). Good idea about the many open windows, since their website sometimes slows to a crawl during that rush. One year, it took me over three hours to complete the transaction because the site was so overloaded that the 7-minute limit kept timing out.
Jul 27th, 2009, 02:51 PM
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Yes .... Mademoiselle Fifi, I am in Canada in Northern Ontario, about 3 1/2 hours north of Toronto. Same time right now .... 6 hours difference. I have always had good luck with tickets at Palais Garnier. I shall be there again in October for a month and wouldn`t you just know it. The same ballet as 4 years ago. But not to worry, Paris always offers up a huge range of things to enjoy ....... like just walking.
Jul 27th, 2009, 06:31 PM
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re <<same ballet as 4 years ago>>
Sometimes it's nice to see it again with a different cast-- I wish they would post casting info sooner, but usually by the time that comes out, it's too late to get tickets.
Sometimes it's nice to see it again with a different cast-- I wish they would post casting info sooner, but usually by the time that comes out, it's too late to get tickets.
