yk

Has anyone been since it reopened last year? I will be in Venice 10/18-10/23, 2005. The website is rather difficult to navigate, despite having an English option.

http://www.teatrolafenice.it/indexf.jsp

I can't seem to figure out if there are any performances during my stay.

According to Venice tourism website, the 04-05 season closes on October 21, and the performance is La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein by Offenbach, but at the Malibran Theatre. Anyone know how much the tickets are? Anyone been to the Malibran?

Also, according to TimeOut Venice, there are tours available at La Fenice? Has anyone done it?

papagena

If you go to the buy online section of the La Fenice website (from the dropdown menu under biglietti) you can see how much tickets are on the seating plan and buy them online. ...Gerolstein is on at least twice while you're there.

The tours tend to book up before the day of the tour - it's probably a good plan to drop in asap on arrival in Venice to reserve a place.

yk

papagena-

Thanks. I don't know why I couldn't figure out the tickets until you pointed it out. They're not cheap.

Can anyone comment on the theatre itself (Malibran Theatre) and also on the opera? I've seen quite a number of operas, but not this one by Offenbach.

Does anyone know what the tour is like (I assume it's a backstage tour)? The TimeOut guide does provide a phone # to call in case I want to reserve a spot.

yk

ttt

yk

trying again. anyone? anyone?

maryk

We went to both a performance and on the tour last December. We booked the tickets months in advance, through the web site. I agree that I can't see anything for when you're there. We booked the tour 2 days prior (and I suggest you book as early as possible). Both the performance and tour were wonderful.

WillTravel

I was at La Fenice in December 2004, and of course it's a gorgeous venue. I got a seat where I wasn't able to see anything, because it was the cheapest. However, the seat, which was actually a plush, individual chair, was at least comfortable. But eventually some places opened up where I could get a partial view of the stage. And the staging was wonderfully dramatic.

The tickets for the performance at the Malibran on 10/21 range from 23.60 to 112.10 Euros. I haven't been to the Malibran.

yk

Thanks maryk & WT.

I think I'll go ahead and try to book the tour, but will pass on the performance. I don't think Malibran Theatre is that famous, plus seeing an opera which I've never seen before without English subtitles will probably be a waste of (a lot of) money. We might as well go to the touristy Vivaldi concerts for less than 1/2 the price.

yk

I'm going to answer my own thread. We ended up taking the La Fenice Tour which I found excellent. The cost of the tour is 7 euros. One should make a reservation at least 1-2 days in advance, as the tours tend to sell out.

I wrote about the tour in my trip report here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34700605

Catbert

Thanks for posting this yk. After reading The City of Falling Angels I was trying to find this info as well.

tassiedevil

My wife and I greatly enjoyed 'The Pearl Fishers' at Teatro La Fenice last year - we booked the tickets on line before leaving Australia. However, we were lucky to have booked the front of a side box, for we could see most of the stage (my wife got 100%, I could see 75%). The poor French couple in the two seats behind us could see nothing, so had to stand all night.

So, a box is a doubtful privilege, I'm afraid.

Woody

yk,

Thanks for posting -- and for providing information after your trip. Teatro La Fenice is a featured site in Donna Leon's first novel "Death at La Fenice."

Your post is timely, as we will be in Venice later this month. Thanks again for the follow-up.

Woody

eliztrav

I can't wait to see the "reborn" Fenice on our next trip. But, also wanted to put in a plug for the recently refurbished Malibran. It IS a famous theater, though not the Fenice, of course. I wouldn't hesitate to attend a performance there if I had the opportunity. It has quite a history of its own. Also, according to John Berendt, it stands on one of Marco Polo's Venetian homes, remnants of which were found (along with much else) during the refurbishment!

yk

tassiedevil-

Thanks for pointing out about the "box seats." In fact, there are only 2 kinds of seats at La Fenice - either the orchestra stalls, or box seats. That's why it seats so few audience.

For the box seats, there are 5 tiers total, and each box seats 4 - 2 in front and 2 in back. Obviously the 2 seats in the front gets great views, but the 2 seats in the back really can't see much.

If anyone is planning on going to La Fenice for an opera, the seats are a consideration, as one may tend to think any "box seats" are great seats, which is not the case at La Fenice.

yk

The number for La Fenice guided tour is
39 041 520 40 10