Hi, I'm looking at Semperoper's website for opera performances this Fall. When I clicked on the link to purchase tickets, I only get choices for Price-groups # 1, 2 and 3. No choice for price-groups 4 - 7. Does that mean only the expensive groups #1 -3 are still available and the #4-7 tickets are completely sold out?

Or, are price-group #4-7 tickets are only available offline, ie, in person at box office or by phone only? I really would prefer cheaper tickets if they are available. I'm specifically looking at the Der fliegende Holländer performance on Sept 27, 2009.
http://www.semperoper.de/en/oper/rep...ollaender.html

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

I have no idea why only price groups 1-3 are available online. It might be the others are sold out at the moment. But even in this case the website usually comes up with those other prices groups and says "sorry, no seats available in those price groups at the moment" after selecting them.

I can offer to go to the box office on Monday and ask about this performance. One thing's for sure: you better wait until two or three weeks in advance because travel agencies/hotels hold reservations for their (potential) guests until that time. I am certain many reservations will be cancelled shortly prior to the performance.

I.

hi yk,

I looked at trying to buy tickets both beefore and after the performance you are interested in, and none of them oofer categories 4-7.

looks as if you can't buy those on line.

hope you get the tickets you want and have a great trip

regards, ann

Ingo and ann, thanks for your responses.

Ingo, if it is not too much trouble, I would greatly appreciate if you could find out more information for me regarding the Sept 27 performance at the box office! Thanks a million.

I am still at the very early stages of planning my (too brief) Dresden visit; I'm sure I will have many more questions to come.

Ingo, if it is not too much extra trouble, may I ask you to inquire about tickets for 2 other perfomances at Semperoper? I haven't made up my mind which day(s) we will visit Dresden (we will be in Berlin).

There is a performance of Il Travatore on Tuesday Sept 29. Only price-groups #1-3 are available on line.
http://www.semperoper.de/en/oper/pre...trovatore.html

Next is a performance of La Traviata on Friday Oct 2 (premiere). No tickets are available on line at all.

Thank you again.

No problem. To be honest, to attend a premiere of *anything* would be a remarkable experience. (I'll probably attend this one myself.) On the other hand, to get tickets for the premiere of LA TRAVIATA will be hard - and definitely only possible one or two weeks in advance (when reservations are cancelled).

The cast for IL TROVATORE looks pretty good, definitely better than for THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. Though I like the very traditional production of the latter (by Wolfgang Wagner) much better. The current IL TROVATORE production premiered this past season and I found it to be a bit boring (but traditional enough, not too modern).

I went to the box office today. They said that only the price categories 1-3 go into online sale, didn't me give an explanation why. Weird.

However, I made reservations for two tickets for IL TROVATORE on 29 Sept. Price category 5, 3rd balcony, 2nd row, seats 9 and 10 (I believe). Price is 37.50 Euro each ticket. Also available are two tickets in the centre of the same row on the same balcony, but they are price category 4 and cost 54 each - not worth the difference IMO. Although the reserved seats are half way to the side you would see almost everything on stage.

Please let me know until Thursday evening if you want those tickets - they are reserved until Friday.

I.

If I could travel back in time, one time and place I would travel to is to see Bohm's premiere of Die Schweigsame Frau by Richard Strauss at the Semperoper.

Ingo, how can I thank you?!?! Those seats are perfect. How can I arrange this with you? You can email me directly if you prefer. It is yk fodors (no space between the 2 words) at hotmail.

I am a bit ashamed that we aren't seeing a German opera, and esp not Der fliegende Holländer since its premiere was at Semperoper! All I can say is I wish we were more familiar with German operas, but we aren't. The idea of sitting through a 3-hr German opera without English subtitles is probably torture for my husband!

I'll email you tomorrow. No problem at all.

As I said before, the cast for IL TROVATORE looks much better than the cast for DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER. I personally like the latter opera more (as a Dresdener I have to, LOL), but Verdi is not bad either. I am glad you will attend a performance at the Semperoper at all, no matter which one. And I am sure you'll enjoy it (and buy your hubby a glass of local beer at intermission ;-) ).

I.

hi yk,

one of the joys of the wiener staatsoper is that you have an individual screen on the back of the seat in frint of you with a choice of english or german surtitles. so we could follow aida virtaully word for word, though some of the translations were a bit weird.

apologies if it was you who told me abut this in the first place.

Ingo gets this year's prize for services to other fodorites.

Hi ann, I did mention it before, but not sure I were the one who told you that. It certainly is a much-welcomed luxury.

I read somewhere that one of the 3 opera houses in Berlin (forgot which one) will be replacing the seats with new ones that has seatback surtitles screen. But that won't happen soon enough for my upcoming trip.

I cannot agree with you more regarding Ingo's generosity.