I hope the Met opera fans can help me out here. I am about to buy single tickets to several performances at the Met, and I'm having difficulty deciding which section is "best" for my $.

I cannot afford the Orchestra seats or the Parterre or Grand Tier.

I sat underneath the overhang at one performance last year and hated it. It mutes the sound significantly.

I actually don't mind the Family Circus... oops, Family Circle, I mean. And it's cheap too. But if I'm willing to pay a bit more, my choices are either:

1) 1st or 2nd row of Balcony level, a bit on the side
or
2) front row of Box 9 of Dress Circle level. Box 9 is the 5th box from the stage (there are 6 boxes each side).

I think I know what to expect from front row Balcony, but I've never been at the Dress Circle Box. Do you think it's better (since it's one level lower than Balcony and closer to the stage), or do you think it's worse (since it's off to the side)?

To me, of course the sound quality is the most important thing. However, to be able to see the singers better will be an added bonus. [They still look tiny from Family Circle even with my opera glasses.]

I can't find any actual views on MetOpera website. You know, some theatre's online box office gives you a photo of the approximate view from each section, so you know what to expect? Does MetOpera offer this?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.

Not quite what you asked, but I think a friend will not mind me quoting a letter he sent me last March:

"Last night I attended Cavalleria in a Balcony Box. My seat cost $15. I picked a box on the "even" side of the house, knowing that the bulk of Santuzza's role is played out stage left. There were only three of us in the box, so we pushed aside one of the chairs and stretched out. With my chair parallel to the railing I could see the entire left 60% of the stage, and could catch a good part of the front right by simply leaning my head over the railing. Twice I stood in order to see the full proscenium. The only thing I couldn't see was the top of the church at the back right of the stage. The sound was glorious and the box's proximity to the stage allowed me to read facial expressions clearly."

He goes on to say that there were empty seats in the house, the others in the box moved on at intermission, and he had the box to himself for the rest of the performance.

Good luck!

Sounds like I'd be better off with front or 2nd row of Balcony instead of the side boxes. Thanks.

My first subscription seat at the new Met was in the front row of the balcony. I thought it was a lovely seat.... of course, my eyes and ears were a lot sharper then!
I agree... sitting under the overhang is the pits.

Would Dress Circle row E be under the overhang? Oh, dear! Did I just spend $125 each for tickets that are the pits?

Jim

Jim, looking at the seating plan, I would imagine that row E in the DC IS underneath the overhang! But perhaps the sound is better there than the last row of orchestra (which is where I sat last year; plus standing room in orchestra section).

What are you seeing?

We're seeing La Boheme in February...it's our first time at the Met.

Jim

Ah! I just bought my ticket for Boheme as well. I want to see/hear first-hand what's all the fuss is about Netrebko.

Enjoy!

Jimingso.... I'm sure you will like Boheme no matter where you sit. When I first saw the production (I"m not a Zellirelli fan) I was apoplectic. But now.. after all these years and many viewings I love it. As far as Netrebko... if you have a decent soprano that's all you need. The music is so evocative that if you are not in tears at the final chord you have a heart of stone -

PS That was supposed to be Zeffirelli..... (Franco).