La Scala: what time do tickets go on sale on-line?
Dec 17th, 2006, 06:21 PM
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La Scala: what time do tickets go on sale on-line?
I have searched and read (and downloaded and printed) the advice on this board about buying tickets for La Scala online. I've scoured the Charta site as well.
The Box Office for La Scala opens at noon. Do online ticket sales start at noon as well? Maybe I'm particularly unobservant, but I couldn't find the online "starting time" anywhere.
Others obviously figured it out, based on mesages that talk about figuring out time zone differences and getting on line the minute ticket sales start --
Thanks.
The Box Office for La Scala opens at noon. Do online ticket sales start at noon as well? Maybe I'm particularly unobservant, but I couldn't find the online "starting time" anywhere.
Others obviously figured it out, based on mesages that talk about figuring out time zone differences and getting on line the minute ticket sales start --
Thanks.
Dec 17th, 2006, 07:54 PM
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According to the Sales Calendar page on the English version of the La Scala website, internet sales start at 9 a.m. (GMT +1). The Sales Calendar lists the day on which each individual opera goes on sale.
Dec 18th, 2006, 09:21 AM
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Thanks, musicteacher.
I AM unusually unobservant, if it was on the web site and I still missed it. No more making fun of my husband for saying "where's the milk?" as he stands in front of the open, milk-container-filled refrigerator.
I AM unusually unobservant, if it was on the web site and I still missed it. No more making fun of my husband for saying "where's the milk?" as he stands in front of the open, milk-container-filled refrigerator.
Dec 18th, 2006, 10:09 AM
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Good luck with the getting online immediately strategy (if it's a popular opera then, as I'm sure you already know, you really do have to be online as soon as it opens).
If you're not successful and plan to buy a day ticket (they release 140 on the day of the performance) do let us know - the system for buying them bears NO resemblance to that described either on the La Scala website or the booking office posters, but having battled with it (and won) I can at least offer some guidance as to what really happens!
If you're not successful and plan to buy a day ticket (they release 140 on the day of the performance) do let us know - the system for buying them bears NO resemblance to that described either on the La Scala website or the booking office posters, but having battled with it (and won) I can at least offer some guidance as to what really happens!
Dec 18th, 2006, 11:57 AM
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papagena: Please tell us how and where you got tickets to La Scala...I've been trying online but so far nothing...I was actually trying for Madame Butterfly which the poster said would be performed on Feb. 21, 2007...when I go to the internet ticket site it doesn't show a performance for that date. All the other dates they say it will be performed show no tickets...got any idea of what's happening or where else I should try? Thanks...
Dec 18th, 2006, 01:41 PM
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Hi Psulli,
Caveat first - my experience is based on getting tickets on three fairly recent occasions and just because it worked a particular way then doesn't mean it'll be the same again. That said...
I had a look at the website for the 21 February Madame Butterfly performance and, if you go into the calendar section, it says "Invito alla Scala giovani e anziani". I won't post the link as people get told off for posting long web addresses here, but if you go to tickets then scroll down to "performances for the young and elderly" it has an explanation. Unfortunately it looks like tickets for this performance might be restricted.
For getting tickets for sold-out performances, firstly seats do sometimes appear in the online sales for performances which were previously shown with zero availability. You just have to keep checking.
Secondly, ticket touting seems to be widespread but the mark-up is huge. I wanted to see a sold-out Don Giovanni and my hotel concierge offered me a ticket for three times the face value. Similar deals were available online for the performance in question, not through the La Scala website needless to say.
Thirdly, usually 140 gallery tickets are released on the day of the performance. These are cheap but getting them is total chaos. You have to turn up outside the box office anything between two and six hours before the performance time to give your name to someone who is writing a list. As to what time the list will be started, that information isn't available. If you get your name on the list, you then go back two hours before the performance for numbered slips to be given out, with your number as on the written list. Then an hour later you come back again with your numbered slip and people are allowed into the box office to buy a ticket in number order one at a time.
And finally, I totally failed to navigate the 140 day seats system (my fatal error was following the instructions posted on the door of the box office) but in the end just walked into the box office an hour before the performance and had a choice of seats. I got a great seat for E15.
Caveat first - my experience is based on getting tickets on three fairly recent occasions and just because it worked a particular way then doesn't mean it'll be the same again. That said...
I had a look at the website for the 21 February Madame Butterfly performance and, if you go into the calendar section, it says "Invito alla Scala giovani e anziani". I won't post the link as people get told off for posting long web addresses here, but if you go to tickets then scroll down to "performances for the young and elderly" it has an explanation. Unfortunately it looks like tickets for this performance might be restricted.
For getting tickets for sold-out performances, firstly seats do sometimes appear in the online sales for performances which were previously shown with zero availability. You just have to keep checking.
Secondly, ticket touting seems to be widespread but the mark-up is huge. I wanted to see a sold-out Don Giovanni and my hotel concierge offered me a ticket for three times the face value. Similar deals were available online for the performance in question, not through the La Scala website needless to say.
Thirdly, usually 140 gallery tickets are released on the day of the performance. These are cheap but getting them is total chaos. You have to turn up outside the box office anything between two and six hours before the performance time to give your name to someone who is writing a list. As to what time the list will be started, that information isn't available. If you get your name on the list, you then go back two hours before the performance for numbered slips to be given out, with your number as on the written list. Then an hour later you come back again with your numbered slip and people are allowed into the box office to buy a ticket in number order one at a time.
And finally, I totally failed to navigate the 140 day seats system (my fatal error was following the instructions posted on the door of the box office) but in the end just walked into the box office an hour before the performance and had a choice of seats. I got a great seat for E15.
Dec 18th, 2006, 05:55 PM
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Papagena, Thank you so much for clearing that up for me...I couldn't figure out what I was missing. We'd really love to see La Scala but might have to settle for just the museum. I think we might just try to show up at the box office on the day of the performance and see if we can get tickets...we almost qualify for the elderly part so they might take pitty on us. Again thanks for the help.
Dec 18th, 2006, 06:49 PM
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We're looking at Salome in March (because March is when we'll be there) -- tickets go on sale in January. I've read on this board that Italian operas are the most popular; don't know how Strauss will rate.
If we don't get tickets, we don't get tickets. We'll still think of things to do.
Thanks again to all.
If we don't get tickets, we don't get tickets. We'll still think of things to do.
Thanks again to all.
Dec 19th, 2006, 09:34 AM
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jeanm - my (failed) experience to get Tosca tix last May was due partly to my inexperience & obstinance, but my tip - drink espresso & be THERE at midnight (PST) to be in the running for the online offering. Don't use Firefox, as the actual ticket sales stuff wasn't compatible when I tried... IE is probably the best bet. Con someone else into staying up with you & dialing the box office to double your chances.
After not getting tix beforehand, I just couldn't commit to 4-6 hours killin' time in such a fantastic location to do the side-door offering before show time. And after seeing how folks were dressed at La Scala cafe across the street - I'm relieved we didn't push harder... so much for packing lite!
After not getting tix beforehand, I just couldn't commit to 4-6 hours killin' time in such a fantastic location to do the side-door offering before show time. And after seeing how folks were dressed at La Scala cafe across the street - I'm relieved we didn't push harder... so much for packing lite!
Dec 19th, 2006, 05:45 PM
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Thanks for the tips. We'll have our computers ready to go at the stroke of midnight.
As for attire -- I'm just glad that it's not the premiere, at which, according to the La Scala web site, "Gentlemen are kindly requested to wear evening dress."
BTW, as a warning for any future traveller who searches for Milan hotels: I had the most miserable time booking hotels in Milan for two nights in March. I had been forewarned by a poster who noted that it was almost impossible to find a Milan hotel in April, apparently because of trade shows, and March wasn't any better. In a couple of cases, hotels that the booking sites listed as "averaging 89 euros" were charging over 300. Crazy.
But after much agonizing and fishing around, we will have a roof over our heads (no matter how humble and expensive), and that's what counts --
As for attire -- I'm just glad that it's not the premiere, at which, according to the La Scala web site, "Gentlemen are kindly requested to wear evening dress."
BTW, as a warning for any future traveller who searches for Milan hotels: I had the most miserable time booking hotels in Milan for two nights in March. I had been forewarned by a poster who noted that it was almost impossible to find a Milan hotel in April, apparently because of trade shows, and March wasn't any better. In a couple of cases, hotels that the booking sites listed as "averaging 89 euros" were charging over 300. Crazy.
But after much agonizing and fishing around, we will have a roof over our heads (no matter how humble and expensive), and that's what counts --
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