Need help w/ Vienna Staatsoper ticket purchase
 

Hello,

I have just attempted to purchase 2 tickets to Die Zauberflote on Saturday, the 10th of May. I was able to enter my Visa online and received some sort of standby ticket (I think!) but I cannot determine exactly what I have reserved since my website confirmation is in German and unfortunately, I do not speak the language.

I would very much appreciate any assistance in translating exactly what I have reserved! My concern is that somehow I indicated I could pick up my tickets by the 1st of April but I do not actually arrive in Vienna until the 8th of May :-(


BESTÄTIGUNG
Original





Vorstellungsort Vorstellung



WIENER STAATSOPER
STAATSOPER DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE
Samstag, 10.05.2008 00:00 Uhr Standby-Ticket



Gewünschter Preis: von 36 EUR bis 44 EUR

Akzeptierter Preis: von 36 EUR bis 44 EUR

Kartenanzahl : mindestens 2
maximal 2

späteste Zuteilung: 01.04.2008 08 Uhr

Einzelplätze: Nein

Sichtbehinderte Plätze: Nein

Transaktionscode: 707479



Wenn zumindest die von Ihnen angegebene Mindestanzahl an Karten in dem von Ihnen akzeptierten Preisbereich vor dem von Ihnen angegebenen Zuteilungszeitpunkt frei wird, so teilen wir Ihnen die Karten zu und buchen den Kartenpreis entsprechend der von Ihnen angegebenen Zahlart ab.
Sie können danach die Karten mit Ihrem Abholcode bei den Vorverkaufsstellen oder Abendkassen abholen.

Hinweis: Bei einer Zuteilung erhalten Sie automatisch ein Bestätigungs-Mail. Erst mit diesem Zuteilungsmail haben Sie (eine) Karte(n) erworben und können diese gemäß den untenstehenden Informationen abholen.

INFORMATION ZU IHREN KARTEN
Ihre Karten erhalten Sie entweder direkt vor der Vorstellung an der Abendkassa (ca. 30 Minuten vor Beginn) oder an einer der Tageskassen:


Bundestheaterverband Tageskassen
Operngasse 2, 1010 Wien, Mo-Fr 8:00 - 18:00 Uhr
an Feiertagen und Wochenenden von 9:00 - 12:00 Uhr

"Unter den Arcaden", im Hauptgebäude der Oper (Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz, 1010 Wien),
Samstag auch bis 17:00 Uhr

Hi TexasAggie-

I'm pretty sure you have gotten "Stand-By" tickets. I'm not quite sure when you will be assigned an actual ticket though.

If no one else here can help you, you may want to give the Staatsoper a call to find out the details.

When we went to Vienna in Nov 06, I was able to buy tickets online, but at exactly one month in advance of the performance. So you can try that on April 10th if you weren't successful with the "stand-by" tickets.
http://www.staatsoper.at/Content.Nod...rkauf/7590.php

Hi yk,

Thanks for the information. I'll watch my email between April 1 and 10th and if I haven't received anything by then, I'll give them a call and see if there is another way to me to obtain tickets (online, on the phone, etc).

We are also in Vienna for the evening of May 11th and it looks like Siegfried is being performed... so if all else fails, I could try to get tickets online for Siegfried on April 11th.

Thanks again!

BTW, remember the time difference btw Vienna and Texas! I don't know if they release the tickets at 10am Vienna time or at 12MN. When I bought my tickets in 2006, I didn't get on the internet until 30 minutes after 10am Vienna time. I was just in time to grab the last 2 seats available.

We also saw Die Zauberflote that time. It was wonderful and we had a great time. The opera house has individual LED screens for surtitles, and they even have an English option!

Have fun in Vienna. It's my fav city (well, after London, I guess).

Hi again,

Thanks for the reminder about the time difference. We're in Denver, so I believe we are 8 hours behind Vienna... hence I think it would be 2am here when it strikes 10am there. Assuming I need to get up and try to book tickets then, I will be wishing that the 11th was a Saturday and not a work day ;-)

Wonderful to know about the individual screens too! We saw a marionette production of Die Zauberflote in Salzburg last year so we sort of know the story, but subtitles will be wonderful :-)

Thanks again for all the help!

You should still try to go online at 4pm'ish on April 9th to see if the tickets are released at 12MN Vienna time or not. It'll be easier on yourself to book tickets at 4pm than at 2am! Good Luck!

Oh, and if all fails, you may still be able to get tickets for the opera from ticket agencies when you arrive at Vienna. Not sure how much they mark up the price, but I'm sure those tickets have great seats if you have the €€€€!

worst case scenario..there is always standing room for 3.50 euros main floor behind the most expensive seats.

buy them from side entrance ot opera house,only 1 ticket is sold per person.

The box office opens 1 hr. 20 minutes before the production.
butline starts about 2 hours before.

take a scarf and after you buy your ticket you go to the standing room brass rails and reserve yourself space so you can go tour the building.

when you come back, you have your space. although newcomers don´t understand the system. but i tell you, this is how it is done.

Hi TexasAggie - Any update on the opera tickets?

Hi,
No update. I didn't ever receive anything after the original email which I posted here. I emailed them on Friday asking if I had received tickets since it is now within 1 month of the opera, but have not heard back. I'll wait a couple more days, then try calling. It sounds like I ought to be able to get standing room tickets even if I don't end up with seats.

i think this is a waiting list for a sold out affair.

but you WILL be able to see it..
be sure to buy the more expensive standing room ( stehplatz.. the 3.50 ones). it is a great location.

one ticket per person, so if there are two of you, you must BOTH stand in the line, which begins very early, through a door on the "left" side of the opera house when looking at in from the front.

I don't know how exactly that stand-by system for tickets works, but what you got was only a confirmation of you getting on the stand-by list.

Desired/accepted price: 36-44 EUR
2 tickets minimum

latest assignment of tickets: April 1st (so this has already happened)

no single seats
no viewing-obstructed seats

The text below the transaction code reads:

If at least the minimum number of tickets in the price range you have set and before the latest possible date you have given (Apr 1), you will be assigned the tickets and you can pick up the tickets at the opera or any advance-booking office (in Vienna, I assume).

If you got assigned tickets, you will automatically receive a confirmation e-mail. Only with (a print-out) of that confirmation you will be able to pick up/ claim your tickets.

You can pick up the tickets 30 minutes before showtime at the Opera's box office or at one of the ticket vendors... (2 locations in Vienna, mentioned at the very bottom of your text)

=================================

So, April 1st ("späteste Zuteilung") is not a pick up date, but the date by which you want(ed) to know if you can get tickets or not. Sort of like the deadline for your stand-by request.

If you are flexible with your Vienna itinerary, you can try again, but this time choose the last possible day you will have access to your emails (and a printer!).

After re-reading my post: Sorry for that lousy translation. Add a few verbs, adjust tenses, stir well -- and hopefully you will decipher some meaning ;-)

Another try:
You asked for stand-by tickets. And told them you want to know by April 1st if you can get them.
They said: If seats like you want them (and for that price) become available, we will let you know in a seperate e-mail by April 1st latest.

You will have to try again, but keep in mind that "späteste Zuteilung" refers to that date by which you want to know if you can get those tickets or not. It is not the pick-up date.

So you should choose a "späteste Zuteilung" (latest assignment) date which is as close as possible to the date of the performance. And you need to be able to print the final confirmation if you should get one, the day before you leave home, for example.

TexasAggie - any news yet? I'm confused by the website, also. I'm planning to go in late Sept/early October (overdosing on 5 nights in a row!).

Hi all,
I received an email late last week stating that I did not receive tickets, as the performance is sold out and I was too far down on the waiting list.

We'd still love to see the opera and plan on getting the nicer standing room tickets. Can anyone with experience doing this post how long they waited in line? We aren't sure what time to be there.

if it is really important to you i would be there before 6 pm for an 8 o'clock performance.

take a book, magazine. you will also meet some very nice people in line.

most importantly, immediately after purchasing your tickets you must go to the area and SAVE YOUR spot with a scarf tied to the railing in front of where you will stand.

and do not be intimidated by those who come later and stand where your scarf is.. just make them move when you get back. everyone local will support you. they feel, rightly so, the early bird gets the worm, and it is useless to stand in front of a railing for an hour when a scarf clearly marks that someone was there before you.

i promise you this is how it is done.

attach your scarf and go enjoy the building, coming back 15 minutes or more before the performance.

p.s. no coats/jackets/shopping bags allowed inside the theater. you must check them.

but put your scarf first!!
enjoy!!

Thank you so much, lincasanova! I appreciate the details so much and will report back after the performance!

Is it true that tickets in the TOP TWO price categories go on sale on June 1st for September and October performances, and that all the remaining tickets go on sale one month in advance? Or do ALL tickets go on sale one month in advance?

I can't get the opera house to respond to my email query, and when I call overseas for information, I am on hold for a long time and then disconnected. Aaargh!

Sorry I can't of much help, but according to the Staatsoper website:

---------------------
Advance ticket sales

Tickets for the Vienna State Opera can normally be purchased from the ticket offices one month before the date of the performance (e.g. on 1st September for 1st October, on 30th September for 30th and 31st October). Tickets for performances from 1st to 30th September are on sale from 1st to 30th June. The availability of seats in some price categories may be reduced for subscription and cycle performances. Arrangements for ticket sales for 31st December and particularly popular performances are published separately.