40 replies to this topic

[Barbara]

Exchange period starts Sunday March 25th at noon.

[puppytreats]

Barbara, on 15 January 2012 - 01:59 PM, said:

I've always tried (not always successfully) to get in the ticket exchange line as early as possible. Never considered going later in the day although I get your point. I guess I think everyone is trying to exchange for the same performance I am so the early bird....

What time do you get to the theater on Sunday?  I was told by the Met the line is around the block by the 12:00 p.m. opening time.
Are you changing your strategy this year?

[mimsyb]

Whatever time you get there, bring an umbrella.  Rain is predicted for Sunday.

[Barbara]

I always set my sights to get there early-ish but 11:00 is about the best I've managed (I'm a good 1.5 hrs away). I'm usually quite far back in the line. I'm still deciding whether to drive in, which would save me about 2 hrs or take the bus/subway, which is the cheapest way to go but time-consuming on a Sunday. Disappointed to hear there is rain predicted after all this beautiful weather.

[SimonA]

I live too far away to come in just to exchange tickets so I sent in my exchange request by mail this year.  It looks like my credit card was charged on Tuesday the difference between my original tickets and my requested tickets, so perhaps my exchange has already been processed?  Of course, I couldn't pick my exact seats, but I did give detailed instructions.

[puppytreats]

Thanks for the advice.

[California]

I assume that anybody eager to pounce on good single tickets for ABT at the Met this spring is already on-line. (The ticket office, including on-line sales, started at 12 noon sharp EDT.)

When I logged on, I was already logged into my Met account, so that speeded up the check-out a little as my address, etc. were already filled in. For just 3-4 minutes, the site would only show me sections, but it quickly switched to pick-your-own-seat. There are tons of great seats available today for single sales, but they seem to be going fast. For one, I picked the seat and got a sign that somebody else just bought it. But that only happened once.

They do use a 10-minute limit on completing sales, so it helps to have the seating charts printed out first and have all your choices, credit card, etc. at the ready so you can move fast, and you might need to do these in separate batches as the time clicks down. The site was a little sluggish, but never crashed (as happened for hours when I tried to buy Book of Mormon seats for their Denver engagement).

[Birdsall]

I just got my tickets for two Bayaderes (May 24 and 25) so I can see Vasiliev on the 24th and Vishneva and Osipova on the 25th! Can't wait! There are good seats but sort of off to the side in the orchestra. Now I hope I can sneak in a NYCB performance on our trip. My partner used to get so mad that all we did at night in NY was go to the opera. Now it is going to be ballet! LOL He wants to have leisurely dinners. So I was going to stick to just these two performances but am going to find a way to sneak another thing in.

[California]

Bart Birdsall, on 01 April 2012 - 08:36 AM, said:

INow I hope I can sneak in a NYCB performance on our trip.

The NYCB on-line ticketing is much less user-friendly than the Met's. You pick a section/price and it tells you a seat. I suggest you print out the seating charts beforehand to see what they're offering  you. You're limited (to 15 minutes, I think), but use the time to keep adding seats. Then delete all but the ones you want. Very frustrating, but typically they don't start by giving you the seat you actually want and that is available. If you immediately delete a seat you don't want when it's offered and try again, it usually just offers the same seat. So you have to keep adding and adding, within your time parameters, make a choice, and delete everything else.

How hard would it be to just show you the entire section and what's available, so you can decide for yourself! Many other theaters do this. The software exists.

[Birdsall]

I noticed that about NYCB! Thank you, California. I am going to wait. Do you think it is possible to get in the night of the performance? The one I want to go to is the day we are arriving, so I thought maybe I should wait and see if I feel up to it. You can usually get last minute tickets to operas, so I assume the same is true for ballet. It just isn't always the greatest seats (off to the side). Occasionally someone will sell an extra ticket or two that night too.

I totally agree with you. Most online ticketing systems are going toward choosing your own seat, and NYCB should do that. Any other system is antiquated at this point in time!!! I would think the choose your own seat cuts down on phone orders and work on the administrative end. So it seems like it would be a win-win for both the ticket office and the customers.

[California]

The New Yorkers could tell you more about same-day purchases. I don't know if they have a 1/2 price rush for students, seniors, etc. before the performance, but I've never noticed anything along those lines, if they do.

For an individual Friends membership at only the $90 level, you get free admission to four rehearsals  and can bring a guest. It's a good deal, as they do these throughout the season Tuesday-Friday. You call a recorded number they give you in the morning to find out the time, which can be anywhere from 12-6 for a two-hour rehearsal. Typically, they are rehearsing something for the next few days, not that night's performance. You sit in the first tier, and you might enjoy those more than the scheduled performances! http://www.nycballet...p/benefits.html

I see on May 23 they're doing a new Martins, In the Night, and a new Wheeldon. The rest of the week is "Double Feature." I noticed on the TDF site that NYCB sometimes sells cheap tickets, but mainly to lemons (like Seven Sins). Still, at least you can buy those 6 weeks ahead and you can see what they're doing. The out-of-town membership is pretty reasonable: http://www.tdf.org/

[audreydoll]

Does anyone have an opinion about sitting in the front row in seats A19 or A20? I'm not tall so I try to buy seats with no one directly in front of me but the seats I've always purchased in the past are now wheelchair seats.   I've seen these ballets many times and prefer to see the dancers up close but have never been in the front row all the way to the side.

[Birdsall]

California, on 01 April 2012 - 09:26 AM, said:

The New Yorkers could tell you more about same-day purchases. I don't know if they have a 1/2 price rush for students, seniors, etc. before the performance, but I've never noticed anything along those lines, if they do.

For an individual Friends membership at only the $90 level, you get free admission to four rehearsals  and can bring a guest. It's a good deal, as they do these throughout the season Tuesday-Friday. You call a recorded number they give you in the morning to find out the time, which can be anywhere from 12-6 for a two-hour rehearsal. Typically, they are rehearsing something for the next few days, not that night's performance. You sit in the first tier, and you might enjoy those more than the scheduled performances! http://www.nycballet...p/benefits.html

I see on May 23 they're doing a new Martins, In the Night, and a new Wheeldon. The rest of the week is "Double Feature." I noticed on the TDF site that NYCB sometimes sells cheap tickets, but mainly to lemons (like Seven Sins). Still, at least you can buy those 6 weeks ahead and you can see what they're doing. The out-of-town membership is pretty reasonable: http://www.tdf.org/

Thanks....I was thinking about Liebeslieder Walzer/Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet on May 22. I arrive May 22 and leave May 27, so that is probably the only thing I have much interest in, but it is the day I arrive. I might be too tired. I hate to travel. I am also trying to fit in seeing a friend or two and going to Jivamukti Yoga during the daytime on some days. So it will be busy. I might just play it by ear and let Fate decide whether I get a ticket at the last minute or not. My partner will be happy if I don't and then we could go to a nice dinner. He is a big foodie.....is that the correct term?

[Kerry1968]

Bart Birdsall, on 01 April 2012 - 11:34 AM, said:

California, on 01 April 2012 - 09:26 AM, said:

The New Yorkers could tell you more about same-day purchases. I don't know if they have a 1/2 price rush for students, seniors, etc. before the performance, but I've never noticed anything along those lines, if they do.

For an individual Friends membership at only the $90 level, you get free admission to four rehearsals  and can bring a guest. It's a good deal, as they do these throughout the season Tuesday-Friday. You call a recorded number they give you in the morning to find out the time, which can be anywhere from 12-6 for a two-hour rehearsal. Typically, they are rehearsing something for the next few days, not that night's performance. You sit in the first tier, and you might enjoy those more than the scheduled performances! http://www.nycballet...p/benefits.html

I see on May 23 they're doing a new Martins, In the Night, and a new Wheeldon. The rest of the week is "Double Feature." I noticed on the TDF site that NYCB sometimes sells cheap tickets, but mainly to lemons (like Seven Sins). Still, at least you can buy those 6 weeks ahead and you can see what they're doing. The out-of-town membership is pretty reasonable: http://www.tdf.org/

Thanks....I was thinking about Liebeslieder Walzer/Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet on May 22. I arrive May 22 and leave May 27, so that is probably the only thing I have much interest in, but it is the day I arrive. I might be too tired. I hate to travel. I am also trying to fit in seeing a friend or two and going to Jivamukti Yoga during the daytime on some days. So it will be busy. I might just play it by ear and let Fate decide whether I get a ticket at the last minute or not. My partner will be happy if I don't and then we could go to a nice dinner. He is a big foodie.....is that the correct term?

I'm in almost exactly that same predicament, although I arrive in NY before you. I have tickets to the ABT Gala on the 14th, and Giselle on May 17 (Cojocaru/Murphy). I'm VERY interested in the NYCB's May 13 program (Serenade/Firebird/Symphony in C) but it's a matinee and that's the day I get in to JFK. I might just be too exhausted.

I could see "New Martins/New Millepied/Facny Free" or "Russian Seasons/New Millepied/DGV" on the 15th or 16th, but am I really that interested? It's a dlemma.

[Birdsall]

I would choose the Russian Seasons just out of curiosity. I loved Ramantsky's "Symphonic Dances" in Miami on March 1.....I have read that Russian Seasons is earthbound. But I would still go just to see, if I were there at that time! Serenade/Firebird/Symphony in C sounds like the best program though, so if you can manage it, I would go to that! But your plane might be delayed, etc., so I would wait till the last minute and hope to get a last minute ticket.