Bravo! I saved £276 taking my family for a night at the opera
(what a pity the kids said there was too much singing)
FORCE-FEEDING the family a healthy dose of culture with a night at the opera has long been an aspiration – although the cost of funding such an adventure has prevented it from being fulfilled.
For example, tickets for the Royal Opera House for Christmas favourites such as The Nutcracker ballet can cost £120. That is almost £500 for a family of four.
Just down the road is the English National Opera. Based at the Coliseum near Covent Garden, it condescends to attract riffraff like me by performing opera in English – even though as a family we would prefer to hear an Italian
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version. But the ENO sells cheaper tickets. Beggars cannot be choosers.
The official theatre discount shop TKTS in Leicester Square, Central London is run by local theatre group The Society of London Theatre. It offers discounts on the day for productions that have not yet sold out.
This shop should not be confused with the host of ‘half-price’ ticket tout booths situated around Leicester Square. These often make money by selling cheaper, less attractive seats, promoting them as great value by comparing them to the cost of the top-priced seats in the house.
The TKTS booth also has a website that allows you to see discounts available for shows not just on the day – but a couple of days ahead. To bag one of the bargains you must visit the booth.
Joining the queue at 9.30 on a Wednesday morning – half an hour before opening – there were already a dozen people ahead. By 10am more than 30 people were behind me. I managed to get four £99 seats in the dress circle to see Mozart’s Don Giovanni but paid just £30 for each of the four tickets – which included a £3 administration fee. This amounted to a 69 per cent discount and a saving of £276. It was great to treat the family to a night at the opera although it did not necessarily turn my children into lovers of this dramatic art.
My 17-year-old daughter Sophia compared the experience to being on a long family car journey and forced to listen to classical music (a toss-up between Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, depending upon my mood). Son Harrison, 15, felt it might have been better had there been less singing (oh dear). I loved it, as did my wife. We were both enthralled by Mozart’s genius.
Some London theatres release a limited number of seats on the day – though not always with the best views – which are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
At least 500 tickets are released for every ENO performance for £20 or under, though you will usually be sitting up in the balcony area. You can also opt for a £20 ‘secret seat’ deal that with a bit of luck might be in the stalls. VERDICT: Top-priced shows are available at cut-price rates – even at the opera. TKTS is the best option but you will still have to queue.