I will be in Paris with a friend this March and would love to see the Paris Opera Ballet. Is there a trick to obtaining tickets ? Their website says no free tickets on every date I tried.

Many years ago, I was in Paris during the summer and managed to see a show by waiting in a long line for returned tickets the night of the performance. Is that the only way if the site shows no availability ?

Thanks, Sandy

Usually, Paris Opera Ballet tickets gets sold out quite quickly. But if you check their website every day patiently, there will be some return tickets sometimes. I managed to buy a good seat for a Raymonda sold out performance in December by that method.

Otherwise, you can buy tickets at FNAC Spectacles
http://www.fnacspectacles.com/
I took a look and there were some tickets for LE PARC - ANGELIN PRELJOCAJ in March. It is a bit expensive compared to the POB box office, 98 euros for category 1

You can also buy tickets at FNAC stores in Paris.

You can also queue the day of the performance you wish to attend from about 5 PM at the house where the performance is held because remaining seats are sold I believe 30 minutes before each performance.

But people begin to queue for that at least 60 minutes before the actual beginning of the sale.

Good luck !

I find the situation quite hopeless, as the Distribition List is so late in coming out. I want to get to see Aurelie Dupont dance in person, as my eyesight is failing badly, and I am restricted in where I can sit to see. I have been to see other people dance, but so far have not suceeded for Aurelie, only in a very frustrating situation, when I could not see the stage as the seat was too far away . There was a mess up with my booking for Sacha Waltz's Romeo and Juliet. The Paris Opera were fantastic and I got invitation tickets by writing to them. It was so upsetting to think my chosen cast were on stage, and all I could see was a dark mist with shadows. I had booked for Melanie Hurel, the next night, so that was the seat I had thought was to see Aurelie, but they gave me the wrong date. I also saw Agnes Letescu in La Dame, which I had chosen only to find AD was on Maternity leave. I am on borrowed time with my eyesight, has anyone in France got inside information on Casts please??? Any help would be most appreciated. Enjoy your Ballet Nan.

Nanarina, are you going to see Le Parc?

if so, the only information that I have for casts on Manuel Legris's Website.
http://www.manuel-legris.com/actualite.html

Paris Opéra Garnier : "Le Parc" (Angelin Preljocaj)
les 13, 16 et 18 Mars 2009
avec Aurélie Dupont

Ms Dupont will be appearing on those three nights.

The casting for Paris Opera changes very often and the official announcement is very late so you must consider yourself very lucky if you see the dancer you want to see.

I went to Raymonda on the New Year's eve performance with very expensive tickets and the last minute announcement told the audience that Larent Hilare is not performing that day.

Hi

Thank you for your reply. I have seen Le Parc a few times now as I have the DVD. Fingers crossed I can get a seat for Aurelie in Onegin,. That would be super. As I have to travel from the UK it is very expensive to not be able to see the Dancer of your choice. I have seen other Stars at POB but Aurelie is my prefered Dancer. I have all her DVD's but am yet to see her in person.

Two friends of mine had to cancel their trip to Paris and therefore have to get rid of their two tickets for Onegin on May 14. Are there any French websites they might try to sell the tickets?

Nanarina,

I have not followed this discussion, but I have found that tickets to the Paris Opera Ballet can be tricky to get for popular performances like "Raymonda", etc. I wound up in the forth balcony.

1) Try their internet site.

2) Try calling them direct 033 1 72 29 35 35 (?)

3) I've read (here?) that FNAC has internet tickets available at a slightly increased price.


Ilya, "Dansomanie" might work.

Have a look at your PMs

I have posted a message on Recent Performances, but thank you all for your suggestions. I did manage to get a seat for Aurelie dancing on the last night of Oneguine (we call it Onegin in the UK). You may wonder how ? By slimply being a pest.. telephoning the booking centre every day for about 2 weeks after reservations opened. In the end they told me as soon as they had the Distribution before it was published on the Internet. I got a super seat in the middle of the front row. I cannot see from anywhere else. Which as I am paying to travell from the UK and stay overnight, it was worth spending my pension on. Bread and Jam for the rest of the week!!! It was fantastic, I loved the Ballet and Aurelie was back to her usual form (Reviews since her babies birth, on earlier performance had been rather unkind). Now I have to save up for Varna Ballet Festival and a holiday with my daughter who lives in Bulgaria. As I have to cross the channel anyway, I may go via Paris, and see Patrice Bart's Ballet based on Degas paintings.