8 replies to this topic

[fandango]

When do these go on sale? When/how are the best ways to order?

[silvermash]

It depends which ballet you want to see. you can check at the following url. First colomn is starting date on the  internet, second one by phone and last one at the box office.

http://www.operadepa.../...hp?&lang=en

[fandango]

Thanks! Any tips on ordering by internet (for Paquita)?

[silvermash]

fandango, on Mar 12 2010, 09:23 AM, said:

Thanks! Any tips on ordering by internet (for Paquita)?

The ordering by internet has been recently a hot topic as POB website kind of crashed down last Monday and it took about two or three hours for customers to reach the booking area. What I can say and even if it's really annoying, it's what has been happening this year, they don't release all the tickets in one stock, so if you can't find any left the opening day, you have to check regularly for new stocks the following days. Those released the first day are presumably better but it depends from your point of view. I must precise that you can't choose you seat, only the price range and the area (stalls, boxes, balcony, etc.).
It's a lot more satysfying by phone where you can deal where you are seated, but there is less tickets released, especially if the programme sold well by the internet. There are English speaking operators if you do worry about that.
Paquita has been shown two years ago so maybe it will be easy but not sure as for example, The Lady of the Camellias is shown mostly every year and it's always fully booked in one day...

[bart]

This season was my first trying to deal with online sales.  It isn't easy.  

One of our Moderators has done this in the past and received tickets via air mail in a timely fashion.  Following her kind suggestions, I registered and waited for May Bayadere tickets at the Palais Garnier to become available on March 8.  Checking in on Day One, at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (U.S.) but mid-afternoon in Paris, I found that all but one performance was sold out (online). Category 2 and 3 seating was available for one of the six listed performances performance, with no specific seat locations indicated, just price categories. Only single tickets were available.

Similar dismal results turned up for Contes d'Hoffmann at the Bastille.   I declined both sets of offers.

Quote

What I can say and even if it's really annoying, it's what has been happening this year, they don't release all the tickets in one stock, so if you can't find any left the opening day, you have to check regularly for new stocks the following days.

silvermash, this is confirmed by others.   I'll try, but will probably do what I've done in the past:  go to the box office in person a week or so before the performances.

[silvermash]

bart, on Mar 12 2010, 01:46 PM, said:

This season was my first trying to deal with online sales.  It isn't easy.  

One of our Moderators has done this in the past and received tickets via air mail in a timely fashion.  Following her kind suggestions, I registered and waited for May Bayadere tickets at the Palais Garnier to become available on March 8.  Checking in on Day One, at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (U.S.) but mid-afternoon in Paris, I found that all but one performance was sold out (online). Category 2 and 3 seating was available for one of the six listed performances performance, with no specific seat locations indicated, just price categories. Only single tickets were available.

Similar dismal results turned up for Contes d'Hoffmann at the Bastille.   I declined both sets of offers.

Quote

What I can say and even if it's really annoying, it's what has been happening this year, they don't release all the tickets in one stock, so if you can't find any left the opening day, you have to check regularly for new stocks the following days.

silvermash, this is confirmed by others.   I'll try, but will probably do what I've done in the past:  go to the box office in person a week or so before the performances.

Yes Bayadère has been difficult to book compared to the two other ballets on sale the same day. Still I found everything I wanted but as said, during the whole week. I personally don't mind buying single  tickets, even sometimes it's nice so you can change your angle of view after the intermission.

[Kyeong]

bart, on 12 March 2010 - 10:46 AM, said:

I'll try, but will probably do what I've done in the past:  go to the box office in person a week or so before the performances.

Dear bart: then, if I go to the box office in person, can I buy tickets even for online sold-out performances? I'm trying to buy tickets for Swan Lake in December, but currently only Dec. 24 performance is on sale, and others are not available. Does it mean all the other performances have been sold out, so the only possible way I can buy the ticket will be queue on the day of the performance, as POB doesn't have a returned ticket system? As I live in London, I wish to secure the ticket before I arrange for the trip to Paris. Thanks.

[Azulynn]

Kyeong, I suggest giving the POB box office a call to see if they have anything left for the dates you were thinking of - I would actually recommend doing this today as booking opens tomorrow morning at the physical box office in Paris (there are different quotas for every means of booking) and there will most likely be nothing left at the end of the day. Check the website regularly as well, as sometimes a few top-price tickets pop up for a particular performance closer to the run.

It will be extremely difficult to get even returns on the day for Swan Lake, but since it's at the Opéra Bastille you can always go and queue for standing tickets (62 of them are sold an hour and a half before the performance).

[Kyeong]

Azulynn, on 21 October 2010 - 04:11 AM, said:

Kyeong, I suggest giving the POB box office a call to see if they have anything left for the dates you were thinking of - I would actually recommend doing this today as booking opens tomorrow morning at the physical box office in Paris (there are different quotas for every means of booking) and there will most likely be nothing left at the end of the day. Check the website regularly as well, as sometimes a few top-price tickets pop up for a particular performance closer to the run.

It will be extremely difficult to get even returns on the day for Swan Lake, but since it's at the Opéra Bastille you can always go and queue for standing tickets (62 of them are sold an hour and a half before the performance).

Azulynn, thank you very much!!