How hard is it to book a concert at Musikverein in Vienna?
 

I have in mind to book a ticket for this concert:

http://www.musikverein.at/konzerte/k....asp?idx=17285

I have to wait until October 30 at 9 AM Central European Time (midnight my time). Does anyone know how difficult it is when bookings open to the general public? Is it like a mad scramble where actually getting tickets is unlikely?

Hi there,

I was passing through Vienna for just one day this July and as I'm always looking for music/dance/ theatre to go to in foreign parts I had a bit of a browse and found something on at Musikverein.

Now, here's where it gets interesting! The program I chose also featured Martha Argerich. I don't know how long bookings had been open, and I couldn't do the job on first attempt (credit card security stuff that I hadn't set up). But I went back next day and bought my seat (cheap seat).

It was the most amazing concert though I have to tell you that Martha Argerich did not perform on the day!!

So looks good for you; except that this was during the Festival of Vienna and that might have had an impact (so many events for the locals to chose from).

Moving on. That same trip I could see my way to being in Wuppertal during a Pina Bausch season. I was on-line ten minutes after bookings opened. Tix were availble but I could not complete the transaction. The website would not accept my combination of entries - mailing address was the big problem I seem to remember. I went back next day to try again and ALL SEVEN performances were sold out.

So my advice is ... get on the Musikverein site and go to book a ticket for anything that's on now.
Go right through the process until you have to press confirm, and then back pedal. That way you know that there will be no glitches on the day. Of course you may already have done this.

Best of luck.

Wow, you chose an Argerich/Maisky recital! She was here with Charles Dutoit for a concert. Excellent reviews in the paper, but I didn't go.

Don't know about the booking procedures really. I was only there once and I got standing room for the Vienna Philharmonic, which you get by making a reservation on the phone and showing up to pick up and pay for the ticket (I think it was cash only that day for pick up as the machine was down, if I remember right).

I'm surprised a concert like this isn't sold out yet though. Is the reservation system there different? Tickets are usually on sale months in advance?

Finding a ticket in the middle of the summer - vacation time for those of vienna and for the Philharmonic and other music offerings is not the same as finding a ticket in the normal season.example November

many of those attending the Musikverein offerings have some form of a season ticket for a group of concerts.

The offering on the night wanted November 20- is one such night -
Thus fewer tickets are available for normal sale.

It is best to pre- register to permit the purchase of tickets .
It is easy to do and will save time when you can go on line to purchase -
Also remember time difference and take this into account when you begin the purchase procedure.

Generally you can get a ticket acting quickly on the first day of availability.
While a god offering this is not the best nor the Vienna Philharmonic - so less demand

Good Luck !

It's Martha, so it's automatically the best. She commands tremendous clout in the classical music world. There really aren't too many at her level these days! And even if there are, she will most likely draw more people than others.

Thanks for the tips. I have preregistered and set up an alert. I'll have several credit card numbers ready to go.

The date by which you can buy tickets seems to vary quite a bit. For Musikverein concerts on the day before, November 19, (not featuring Argerich, though), I could have bought tickets starting several days ago.

I can buy tickets now through a third-party agent. It's somewhat tempting:
http://www.viennaticketoffice.com/re....php?ID=289939

Do let us know, if you get to go, if Martha actually turns up.

If I'd paid big money for my ticket I'd have been pretty pissed off with her non-appearance, and then I suppose I almost expected it, as she was booked to perform in Sydney some years ago and ducked out of that too.

She's one of those who likes to cancel. I think that Carnegie Hall sometimes offers refunds in a situation like this one, but I'm not sure what the Musikverein does if she doesn't show.

In her defense, she's a breast cancer survivor. So maybe she's not cancelling on a whim entirely.

I couldn't find any info about Argerich having breast cancer, but I did find she had melanoma starting around 1989. Her cancellation problems started well before that, though.

I can sympathize with the cancellations, because if your whole stock in trade is to perform these works with the requisite virtuosa skill and temperament, and you just don't feel you have it in you that day, it would present a problem to have to play. From what I read, she sometimes suffers excruciating stage fright.

You're right. I'd thought it was breast cancer, but it wasn't.

Well she had enough stage fright that I guess she thought about being a secretary. I still find that story incredible -- one of the greatest pianists ever wanting to be a secretary at one point.

It seems totally understandable to me. But I doubt she would have found being a secretary easy either. That depressive crisis also occurred around the time she lost custody of her first child.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I would have concerns that the viennaticketoffice.com site, that is currently selling these tickets, and which I mentioned above, is accurate or legitimate.

The reason is that site is also selling November 21 tickets for Argerich in Vienna, and according to the Musikverein site, she won't be there. In fact, she will be in Munich, according to this site:
http://www.andrys.com/argconcs.html

So clearly, Vienna Ticket Office is selling tickets that don't exist.

<i>The reason is that site is also selling November 21 tickets for Argerich in Vienna, and according to the Musikverein site, she won't be there.</i>

I didn't check the link you gave, but did you attempt a dummy purchase to see if it'll actually go through? Or is it like one of those $200 plane tix deals that when you click on it, you get &quot;Sorry, can't find the offer but...&quot;?

BTW, when I was in Vienna, there were a few ticket agent offices in town that sell &quot;sold-out&quot; performances (eg Staatsoper). So, if you are out of luck on October 30th, you can always see if you can buy a ticket thru those offices (at a marked-up price, obviously).

I went as far through the steps as I could without buying it, and there was no indication of a problem with the Nov. 21 ticket.

I'm wondering if Argerich maybe has a better record for showing up when she's playing with Maisky, as she seems to enjoy that collaboration greatly.

I can't recall if I've heard this combo (I think so?), but I've heard her with Gitlis. Argerich and Maisky have recorded a lot together. But of course Maisky plays the cello and Gitlis plays the violin, so I guess she needs both. :-)

She showed up to her concerts in NYC this month, so I'm thinking that she'll show up in Vienna too (but who knows).

I know that I've heard Argerich live more than once -- including at least one concerto performance. Maybe it was the Prok 3? Anyway, she probably cancels more than others, but the chance that she shows is probably higher than you think.

Has Argerich ever played in Vancouver?

This thread made me go to YouTube to see what's available. Amazingly you can find a video of Argerich playing Bach (as an encore) in Buenos Aires:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQKMMYc3ZIE

The sound is bad, but it should whet your appetite for more. :-)

So far all I can see is that for 2008, she cancelled a cluster of concerts in April in NYC. But I can't find any indication of subsequent cancellations this year.

The concert I want occurs in the middle of a European tour. But she lives in Brussels, so maybe it won't be too exhausting for her.

I can't find any indication she has ever played in Vancouver.

That is a very nice Youtube clip.

Of course the Bach doesn't sound like Bach at all. But then, well, who is to say what Bach should sound like? :-) Plus it's live and it's solo, which makes it a pretty rare occasion!

This looks like a real treat for you. I think she must have played in Canada with her Charles Dutoit (he was principal conductor in Montreal for a while) connection, but maybe she hasn't made it to Vancouver.

I had no idea she lives in Brussels these days. That's interesting.

I must take advantage of all the Musikverein experts on this thread. My wife and I have tickets for 2009 New Years Day concert.......standing tickets!!

Still cost a fortune, but I couldn't resist the offer.

I'm a little apprehensive about this standing business. Can anyone share an experience of standing tickets here? Thanks.

WillTravel, we obtained these tickets through a U.K. agency, so I'm afraid I can't help on your queerie.

Sorry, no, can't help with experience of standing tix. But if you've two good legs why shouldn't you be fine (smile). I don't have.

My seat was way up back in a proper chair, you know like it wasn't attached to the seat next to me.

I just remember arriving soaked to the skin despite umbrella, having got lost (haha) coming out of the metro station. I got there with two minutes to spare, as did many other people. It was a mega storm, still raging at the interval.

I don't speak German but was helped to find my seat.

One of the best evenings of music I have ever been to, despite Martha's absence.

Shostakovich's Piano trio (Renaud &amp; Gautier Capucon - violin/cello) was mesmerising.

Enjoy and don't worry.