24 replies to this topic

[fadedhour]

Does anyone have any information on reduced tickets for students?  I am going to try to go to see the Paris Opera Ballet (for the first time) in the fall and I was considering buying one ticket ahead of time and trying to get a day-of ticket for another day of the trip, if it's possible.

Also, does anyone know when they usually announce casting for specific days?  For the ballet I want to see (Les Enfants du Paradis), they've announced three dancers for each role, which is fine, but will they only announce casting for specific days closer to the performances?  I'll be happy to see any cast but I'm just wondering when the announcement will be & if I should hold out on buying tickets till they name the casts.  (I'd have waited but I just saw online the Royal Ballet has casting up for Manon and Swan Lake, so I just wanted to check.)

And if you have any tips for a first-time visitor to the Opera Garnier, I'd love to hear them

[cygneblanc]

There aren't specific tickets for students. Instead, there are some tickets sold at a reduced cost if you're 28 years old or less.

There are two ways to get these tickets:
1) to buy a pass "opera-jeunes" for about 30 euros, which isn't worth if you don't get often to POB. It will allow you to get for some performances cheap tickets
2) to queue before a performance in order to get last minutes tickets that are sold 15 minutes before each performance at at very modest price (about 12 euros) if you're young enough.

Casts for each performance will be on line but they may be available only one week before the beginning of the actual performances ! So I will strongly advise you try to get tickets when they're still available on the web. Les enfants du Paradis will be the one of the season's biggest events with Oneguin and the NYCB's tour, if not the biggest.

If you have never been to Garnier, I would say you need to be enough in advance to visit the theater, and, wich is the more important, to feel it and try to get its magic. You don't need to be formal, jeans are perfectly fine. The audience may look more relaxed than what you're used to. You can ask for a map in the main hall.

Enjoy

[afds]

I hope it's alright for me to revive this old thread, not sure if I should start a new one. I have two tickets for La Fille Mal Gardee in July, but a serious health thing has come up and we may not be able to travel. Is there any way I can return the tickets short of going to the box office? The Opera website says no refunds or exchanges, but it also advises people looking for tickets to keep checking because they may become available. I find this very confusing. Hope someone can help!

[cygneblanc]

No, you can't return your tickets to the box office but you can try to sell them on french-speaking ballet forums. It works rather well from what I know.

[Mashinka]

A quick question:  I've heard that the box office hours in Paris have been shortened so how does that change any of the information given on this thread?  I'm particularly interested as regards to the Opera Bastille.  Thanks.

[silvermash]

I kinda miss this one so perhaps the answer is too late... but I don't think the opening hours of ticket office changed anything. Perhaps now you queue outside if the ballet is popular (Bayadère for example)...

[Millie]

My daughter will be in Paris and is desperatley hoping to get a single ticket for the ballet for the evening of Thursday Oct. 18, 2012, for the Balanchine triple bill.   This is the only day that she is there that the ballet is on.

She looked online and it is showing no tickets availale.  Does anyone know how she could get her hands on one?  Do they sell rush seats on the day of the show?   If so, what are the current times to line up and where does she go?   She is not familiar with Paris.

Or if anyone is sellingt a ticket, please let me know.  She would prefer a good seat but will be just happy to go.

Thank you for any advise.

[kbarber]

The Paris Opera set up an official ticket exchange last year (to avoid scalpers). Here's the link: http://boursechange.....fr/ballets-onp
looks like there aren't any available at the moment, but by clicking on the "Soyez alerté par courriel" link ("receive alerts by email") presumably she will get an email the instant someone returns their ticket.

[Millie]

Thank you very much.

[Lcg]

There are always tickets that become available "day of" one hour before curtain. Lining up by the box office two hours before show time I have never not gotten a seat, even for the performances that initially sold out immediately. Usually, but not always, top priced locations.