36 replies to this topic

[puppytreats]

[Admin Note:  This topic was originally posted on the Pacific Northwest Ballet forum[/url]

Can you give some advice on where are the good places to sit for a ballet at the Met and how to best obtain tickets?

[Jack Reed]

We're just comparing the Met with the Koch on the RDB North American tour thread, but I can relate just a little experience with the Met.  Last time, I sat in the middle of row N in the Orchestra, where I got a good view of everything on stage - relatively small-cast ballets, Tharp's The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Robbins's Interplay, and his Fancy Free.  I am 5'8", though, and a shorter person might want to try a spot a little off-center, the better to see between the heads of those in front of you.

To get this location, I just went up to the box office and lucked out. (I hope more experienced consumers will come in and advise about timing your purchase, etc.)  

Another location to ask about is on the aisle just across from the center section, as far back as row S, maybe; while I really prefer the exact center line, so they seem to be dancing for me, not for those people over there half a row to my right or left, this trick helps in places like the Met Orchestra, which is not raked enough, because you have no one in front of you - you look down the aisle halfway to the stage.

I have sometimes sat in a front row one or two levels up across the back of the place, which can help some for big-cast ballets, but I feel rather remote from events on stage there, owing to the Met's size.

Hope this helps some.

[mimsyb]

puppytreats, on 08 February 2011 - 08:00 AM, said:

[Admin Note:  This topic was originally posted on the Pacific Northwest Ballet forum[/url]

Can you give some advice on where are the good places to sit for a ballet at the Met and how to best obtain tickets?

Best Met location for dance is the Grand Tier.  The more center the better.  If not a subscriber, walk ups work sometimes and not so well others.  It depends on particular casting.  But I've frequently had great luck with same day walk up. (sometimes better location than my subscriptions!)

[angelica]

mimsyb, on 08 February 2011 - 03:58 PM, said:

puppytreats, on 08 February 2011 - 08:00 AM, said:

[Admin Note:  This topic was originally posted on the Pacific Northwest Ballet forum[/url]

Can you give some advice on where are the good places to sit for a ballet at the Met and how to best obtain tickets?

Best Met location for dance is the Grand Tier.  The more center the better.  If not a subscriber, walk ups work sometimes and not so well others.  It depends on particular casting.  But I've frequently had great luck with same day walk up. (sometimes better location than my subscriptions!)

Last year I tried every section of the Met and came to the conclusion that, at least for my requirements, the Met isn't the best house for ballet. Every seat is a compromise, in our way or another, except perhaps those ends of the Orchestra "Premium," which I believe are saved for Press and dignitaries. Maybe you can get them at the very last minute if they're not being used.
Anyway, here's my assessment:
Orchestra front row center: you miss the feet when they are flat but can see them on pointe. Otherwise, it's great for getting every nuance.
Orchestra middle: not too bad as long as you don't have heads in front of you. No way to plan in advance unless you have a subscription and so do the people in front of you.
Grand Tier Center: Okay if you like to see ballets in panorama, e.g., I would recommend for a first time Giselle. However, for the nuances of acting and expression, it's too far back for my taste.
Center Parterre: Pricey and also too far back if you like to see the dancers close up. You can't watch an entire ballet through binoculars.
Side Parterre: first row only - don't sit anywhere in the side parterre except first row. Good seats, you see up close, but you miss a corner of the stage.
Dress circle, first row center, best seats for the money. Hard to get.
Balcony and Family Circle: Okay if you have really good eyesight, but I don't.
This year we got our subscription for Row E Center Orchestra. I will report further on how this worked out.
angelica

[angelica]

Last year I tried every section of the Met and came to the conclusion that, at least for my requirements, the Met isn't the best house for ballet. Every seat is a compromise, in our way or another, except perhaps those ends of the Orchestra "Premium," which I believe are saved for Press and dignitaries. Maybe you can get them at the very last minute if they're not being used.
Anyway, here's my assessment:
Orchestra front row center: you miss the feet when they are flat but can see them on pointe. Otherwise, it's great for getting every nuance.
Orchestra middle: not too bad as long as you don't have heads in front of you. No way to plan in advance unless you have a subscription and so do the people in front of you.
Grand Tier Center: Okay if you like to see ballets in panorama, e.g., I would recommend for a first time Giselle. However, for the nuances of acting and expression, it's too far back for my taste.
Center Parterre: Pricey and also too far back if you like to see the dancers close up. You can't watch an entire ballet through binoculars.
Side Parterre: first row only - don't sit anywhere in the side parterre except first row. Good seats, you see up close, but you miss a corner of the stage.
Dress circle, first row center, best seats for the money. Hard to get.
Balcony and Family Circle: Okay if you have really good eyesight, but I don't.
This year we got our subscription for Row E Center Orchestra. I will report further on how this worked out.
angelica
[/quote]

[carbro]

angelica, on 27 February 2011 - 06:43 PM, said:

Orchestra front row center: you miss the feet when they are flat but can see them on pointe. Otherwise, it's great for getting every nuance.

Just as long as you're not  absolutely dead center, which puts you directly behind the conductor.  You'll see more of his performance than the dancers' if you get those two seats.  That was my friends' experience on one unfortunate night.  Not sure what the numbers are, though.

Quote

Orchestra middle: not too bad as long as you don't have heads in front of you.

If I recall correctly, the rake starts around Row H or J.

"Best location" is a very personal thing.  As I've written elseewhere on this board, for dance, I prefer to be upstairs so I can take in the whole stage picture.  At the Met, I'm generally in the Dress  Circle, because I usually buy standing room, and the standing room accommodations are more comfortable than their equivalent in the Grand Tier.  If money were no object, I'd probably buy tickets for most performances in Grand Tier.  I don't mind missing every little nuance of facial expression.  My philosophy is that dancers spend their lives making their bodies into instruments of expression.  If I need the face to get the intended emotion, something important is missing.  IMO, it's like an opera singer whose voice is beautiful but reaches only half the audience -- s/he's not  doing her/his job.

puppytreats, on 08 February 2011 - 08:00 AM, said:

... and how to best obtain tickets?

First choice, box office in person.  Not only can you ask questions about the location, but you save those unreasonable handling fees.  Inconvenient?  Second choice, by phone, so you can ask questions.

[angelica]

Right. I forgot about that part -- definitely not directly behind the conductor.
And you're right about it being a personal thing.

[DeCoster]

Can someone remind me of the standing room policies for ABT?  I've done it several times, but I forget.  I know you have to buy the tickets day-of, but do they only allow standing room for sell-outs.

I have only done standing room from the orchestra.  Carbo, if you're reading, is the scenery also cut-off when standing in the Dress Circle?  Why do you prefer to the Grand Tier?

Also, foolish question, perhaps but: do they allow standing room for the gala?  Normally I'm not particularly interested anyway, but this year's looks especially chock 'o block, plus I'd love to see the Manon pas.  My assumption is that they don't sell standing rooms, with all of the cocktails and hot-shots and such.

[richard53dog]

DeCoster, on 15 May 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Can someone remind me of the standing room policies for ABT?  I've done it several times, but I forget.  I know you have to buy the tickets day-of, but do they only allow standing room for sell-outs.

I have only done standing room from the orchestra.  Carbo, if you're reading, is the scenery also cut-off when standing in the Dress Circle?  Why do you prefer to the Grand Tier?

Also, foolish question, perhaps but: do they allow standing room for the gala?  Normally I'm not particularly interested anyway, but this year's looks especially chock 'o block, plus I'd love to see the Manon pas.  My assumption is that they don't sell standing rooms, with all of the cocktails and hot-shots and such.

From the ABT section of the Met's website:

Standing Room Tickets are available by phone and at the box office window. Orchestra, Grand Tier and Dress Circle Standing Room tickets will be available beginning at 10 am on the day of the performance. Family Circle Standing Room tickets will also be available on the “day of” when Family Circle Seating is sold out. Tickets are subject to availability and limited to two per person.

Please note that a $5.50 per ticket service charge will apply for phone and web sales.

Note that ABT sells SR at Orch, GT, and DC regardless of amount of seats sold but FC only when all FC seats are sold.

This is similar to the policy for the opera (except that they don't sell GT and DC SR) but
other visiting companies sometimes have different policies.

This doesn't give prices and I don't recall what they are. I DO think SR will be available for tomorrow's gala. It's completely sold out at this point so I'm guessing they will sell SR at all four levels. I'm toying with the idea of going, I hate to pay the damn $5.50 service fee for a SR ticket but on the other hand, I don't want to go through the considerable effort from getting from NJ into Manahattan and end up not getting in.

Best suggestion is to call the MEt boxoffice at 212-362-6000  as soon after 10 AM on Monday as you can.

[angelica]

One ticket left in side parterre, $115. May be gone by the time I add this post. Sometimes seats held for VIPs are released at the last minute day-of. Suggest you keep checking web site if you want a seat. And if you find one, grab it!

[MJ]

opening night is sold out!

[kfw]

angelica, on 15 May 2011 - 11:46 AM, said:

Sometimes seats held for VIPs are released at the last minute day-of.

Whether it's VIPs relinquishing seats or ordinary folks, I've often found good seats at theaters all over the place at the last minute. My favorite example of this is when I decided to go to Kyra Nichols' last performance no more that 10 days beforehand, and all that was available was high Fourth Ring. Fresh in town a few hours before the performance, I traded that seat for one in the Third Ring, and when the doors opened I bought a center seat in the Second Ring.

[carbro]

DeCoster, on 15 May 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Carbo, if you're reading, is the scenery also cut-off when standing in the Dress Circle?  Why do you prefer to the Grand Tier?

Whoops!  Sorry I'm a little late in responding, and I hope this gets to you in time.

Standing room spots are numbered and assigned.  In the Grand Tier, there is a curved rail with numbers along the length, which means that those with the spots at the outer ends stand behind someone -- uncomfortable for both the person behind and the one in front.  SOMETIMES, if the stands are not well sold, ushers will let you migrate to the less populated side.  

Dress Circle spots are right behind the last row of seats, like the Orchestra.  No one stands behind anyone.  And the overhang blocks less of the set than it does in the GT.

I hope this helps.

[SimonA]

angelica, on 27 February 2011 - 06:43 PM, said:

Side Parterre: first row only - don't sit anywhere in the side parterre except first row. Good seats, you see up close, but you miss a corner of the stage.

Apologies for resurrecting this old thread, but I wanted to ask: how is the view from the closest Side Parterre boxes (1 and 2)?  Too close?  Too much of the stage cut off?  

Thanks so much!

[angelica]

SimonA, on 10 May 2012 - 10:28 AM, said:

angelica, on 27 February 2011 - 06:43 PM, said:

Side Parterre: first row only - don't sit anywhere in the side parterre except first row. Good seats, you see up close, but you miss a corner of the stage.

Apologies for resurrecting this old thread, but I wanted to ask: how is the view from the closest Side Parterre boxes (1 and 2)?  Too close?  Too much of the stage cut off?  

Thanks so much!

Surprisingly not bad, because that box is slightly curved in towards the stage. It's not my first choice seating, but if that's the best option for a performance you want to see, then I'd sit there. Just make sure that you're in the first row of the box. Otherwise it's hopeless.