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Different seating arrangements?


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My husband asked me to find out how much one was expected to tip the person who shows you to your seat.... i've never heard of this, but then I've never been to the ballet outside the US... Is there a tradition of tipping the ushers? (Was there ever?)

So looking forward to taking 10-year-old daughter to see POB do La Fille Mal Gardee on Saturday 6/27!

Thanks,

Amy

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You're not expected to tip at the Paris Opera, because the ushers are fully paid employees (not sure it was always the case though, but that's the current situation). I don't think I have ever seen anyone do so, actually, although it's not forbidden. A tip is only expected at private venues such as the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, where usher positions are either unpaid or almost unpaid, but in such a case you usually find signs to warn you inside the theatre.

Enjoy La Fille !

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Yes, you certainly used to have to tip in the old days, and dreadful old harpies those usherettes were too! These days the ushers/usherettes are young, extremely helpful and often speak English - and they don't put their hands out for tips either.

Enjoy Fille, the company dances it really well.

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Yes, you certainly used to have to tip in the old days, and dreadful old harpies those usherettes were too!

Oh, yes I remember! My first time in Paris in 1974 I went to the Opera to see Nozze di Figaro and didn't really understand about the tipping practice. And oh, was the usherette a harpy! We tried to give her some large coin, don't know the denomination but it must have been an old one worth not too much, and she wouldn't take it! It was our first day in France and we weren't too sure of the currency but finally we gave her some combination of coins that she was satisfied with.

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I hope that you'll enjoy your trip and the performance, Amy ! And also I'm looking forward to reading

your comments here when you've seen it. :-)

Azulynn, I thought that tipping was forbidden at the Paris Opera (but I might be confusing with another theater).

By the way, tipping habits are quite different in France from the US. For example, restaurant prices always include the service (and also taxes), so people are not expected to always give a tip: in general, people give a tip only when they think the service was especially good.

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