[This is a guest post from our PR intern, April Xie]

 

Has it been one too many times that you’ve gazed jealously at the patrons inside the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the looks of joy and anticipation for the upcoming opera etched prominently on their faces? Ah, opera: that intriguing girl/guy next door who has always caught your eye, but you’ve never mustered up the courage to try and get more acquainted.

 

My friends, the what-ifs and maybes are finally over: starting this season, the Canadian Opera Company offers standing room tickets for every production—for only $12! With the chance to experience the glory that is opera for less than the price of a movie ticket, the COC has opened itself to even more of us curious newcomers looking for a casual fling, no strings attached.

 

 

So, $12 is great . . .

. . . But who wants to stand through an opera, especially those of us who may not know who (or what) Puccini is? It turns out that countless visitors flock to the world’s most revered opera houses all year long—from San Francisco and New York, to Prague, London, and Vienna—with dirt-cheap standing room tickets. And most who do take the plunge grow to love it.

 

Let’s take a look at the method behind scoring standing room tickets to the Vienna State Opera House: a tradition both feared and revered by every tourist to cross the city’s path, almost as much as seeing the opera itself.

 

(With)standing The Vienna State Opera House

 

For a venue that sells out months in advance, standing room tickets are a golden alternative to getting into the Vienna State Opera House (VSO). For the most part, the acoustics remain spectacular, and the view more than sufficient; odds are that you’ll be paying around $5 CDN to stand beside a patron sitting for almost $500. The atmosphere is more relaxed, as well—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with visitors from around the world is great for interaction (until the curtain rises, of course).

 

But again, half the fun is even landing a spot: a Google search reveals countless pages of blogs, wiki-how’s, and Travelocity entries dedicated to the rituals of getting an elusive standing ticket. Line-ups outside the VSO begin 80 minutes before the curtain rises, although keener patrons begin queuing much sooner, folding chairs and colourful scarves in tow (to be explained later). The lines are infamous for their lack of mercy—one blogger writes of a 10-year-old girl who, somehow having gotten a hundred spots ahead of her parents, tried to persuade the guards to let her parents accompany her. Needless to say, it didn’t work.

 

The instant the door is opened, patrons charge into the theatre and tie the aforementioned scarves on the railing that separates them from the sitting-crowd. This is how the standing animal marks its territory at the VSO—soon, the rails are engulfed with fabrics of every colour, making the standing room section, as another blogger puts it, “look like Mardi Gras just passed through it.” (Thankfully, the COC’s standing room spots are numbered; no scarves necessary).

 

A mission, indeed, but the breathtaking experience of the opera itself makes the effort worth it for visitors from all over the world. Perfect for a newcomer to the art form who isn’t afraid of a little adventure and who loves an inexpensive ticket to premium entertainment.

 

The COC takes a stand

 

Here in Toronto, the COC’s General Director Alexander Neef has brought some European flair to our very own opera house. The Four Seasons Centre is one of the best opera houses in the world; and, with the COC’s extremely high attendance rate, standing room tickets are the perfect solution. Die-hard fans: we present the gift of a second chance to get into that sold-out performance. Newbies: it’s a great way to have that first date with the opera. Who knows—it could turn out to develop into something special.

 

All the music, drama, and theatrical excitement for fewer frills and less money. Bring some comfortable shoes, but your scarves are safe to keep around your neck.

(Photo via Flickr user neoliminal)