# Favorite Seating Section at The Met



## Der Fliegende Amerikaner (Feb 26, 2011)

What is your favorite section to sit at the Met? Why? 

My budget unfortunately does not allow me to sit in the most expensive sections such as Center Parterre or the Premium sections of the Grand Tier or Orchestra. $175 is tops for me. 

My favorite section:

Rear Grand Tier - Excellent value with almost a full view (upper upper top of the stage is obstructed by the overhanging Dress Circle). Just a few rows behind seats that can cost double. Close to the stage and excellent sound. 

I used to like the Parterre or Grand Tier boxes but the seating arrangement is less than comfortable with four people all angling their heads to get a full view of the stage.

My apologies if this topic has already been discussed.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Der Fliegende Amerikaner said:


> What is your favorite section to sit at the Met? Why?
> 
> My budget unfortunately does not allow me to sit in the most expensive sections such as Center Parterre or the Premium sections of the Grand Tier or Orchestra. $175 is tops for me.
> 
> ...


My favourite would be anywhere - never been but would love to one day


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

My favorite is the front Grand Tier, but it's darn expensive! Now that I don't live in NYC any longer and only visit the Met rarely, it's worth the extra expense since I won't break the bank by going there once or twice a year, as opposed to my previous more frequent attendance.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Haven't been yet, first time will be in 10 days. I'm in a dress circle box, and even at that height the ticket was more than I had planned to spend.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I know this the wrong thread but I'm in the very front row for Macbeth.

Never mind the acoustics - I want to drool over Simon & watch Pappano at work.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> I know this the wrong thread but I'm in the very front row for Macbeth.
> 
> Never mind the acoustics - I want to drool over Simon & watch Pappano at work.


envy envy envy.

When are you going?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> envy envy envy.
> 
> When are you going?


27th May

and 30th May


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## delallan (Jan 4, 2011)

Um, my favourite is sitting in front of my 21" iMac screen watching through Met Player Broadcast. Well, that may not be my 'favourite', but that's as close as it gets for me!! I'm watching 'Simon Boccanegra' via Met Player in a couple of hours!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

delallan said:


> Um, my favourite is sitting in front of my 21" iMac screen watching through Met Player Broadcast. Well, that may not be my 'favourite', but that's as close as it gets for me!! I'm watching 'Simon Boccanegra' via Met Player in a couple of hours!


My turn to be envious! _Boccanegra_ is my favourite opera of all. I'm not sure how Met Player works - is there more than one version available? Who is singing the Doge in the one you'll be watching?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

delallan said:


> Um, my favourite is sitting in front of my 21" iMac screen watching through Met Player Broadcast. Well, that may not be my 'favourite', but that's as close as it gets for me!! I'm watching 'Simon Boccanegra' via Met Player in a couple of hours!


21" iMac? Wow! I'd love to have one of those!
And enjoy Simon Boccanegra, it's a wonderful version.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> My turn to be envious! _Boccanegra_ is my favourite opera of all. I'm not sure how Met Player works - is there more than one version available? Who is singing the Doge in the one you'll be watching?


MetPlayer - it works by subscription, free for one week, then I think it's about 15 bucks per month, or 150 per year. There is also pay-per-view for individual operas, about 5 bucks. They have a number of HD archives, more with regular resolution - all past and current Met productions - not too many, though (I forgot how many, something between 50 and 100) plus a larger number of audio only archives.

The technology is quite good - just like Netflix, it is delivered to your computer in small fragments at a time to decrease buffering times, but all automatically - each chunk is followed by the next and the viewer doesn't notice the transition - but this new streaming technology allows for continuous views with little or no freezing even for relatively lower speed connections. The resolution is good too. It's much better than YouTube; it is rather close to what you get when playing a DVD on your computer.


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## delallan (Jan 4, 2011)

*The Doge of Geona: Plácido Domingo*

In this 2010 production, which I am about to watch, the Doge is played by Plácido Domingo. The quality of the Met Player is every bit as good as a DVD, even perhaps as a Blue Ray Disk?

This is my first time watching this Opera, so I'm quite excited.

Thanks!


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## delallan (Jan 4, 2011)

Thank you, yes, I'm about to settle into it! Just settling in to watch it now. My brother-in-law upgraded his imac to an even larger screen, and he gave me this older 21" one. It's like watching a television!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Domingo is a very different Doge but I hope you'll enjoy it. Joseph Calleja is a great Adorno.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

delallan said:


> Thank you, yes, I'm about to settle into it! Just settling in to watch it now. My brother-in-law upgraded his imac to an even larger screen, and he gave me this older 21" one. It's like watching a television!


Nice, even better if you got it for free! I'd love to have a brother-in-law like yours.:tiphat:

So, after you finish watching the opera, come back to post your review of it.


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## delallan (Jan 4, 2011)

It was stunning!! I absolutely LOVED it! The story (which I'm somewhat ashamed to say I didn't know) was very touching; the singing was superb and the staging was gorgeous. What a wonderful way to spend a wintry Sunday afternoon!
Peace,
Del


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

delallan said:


> It was stunning!! I absolutely LOVED it! The story (which I'm somewhat ashamed to say I didn't know) was very touching; the singing was superb and the staging was gorgeous. What a wonderful way to spend a wintry Sunday afternoon!
> Peace,
> Del


Nice! I knew you'd love it, this production is quite good.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

delallan said:


> It was stunning!! I absolutely LOVED it! The story (which I'm somewhat ashamed to say I didn't know) was very touching; the singing was superb and the staging was gorgeous. What a wonderful way to spend a wintry Sunday afternoon!
> Peace,
> Del


:trp: another _Boccanegra_ fan!

Please forgive the ott reaction delallan - I sometimes get some strange looks/comments when I say _Boccanegra_ is my favourite opera. Not on here of course, they're used to me by now.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> :trp: another _Boccanegra_ fan!
> 
> Please forgive the ott reaction delallan - I sometimes get some strange looks/comments when I say _Boccanegra_ is my favourite opera. Not on here of course, they're used to me by now.


It's not that strange, because it *is* a very good opera, and when something touches you in a special way for reasons of your own, nobody should question it. I also get some shocked looks when I say that _Les Troyens _is my second favorite opera. Not only the music is wonderful, but I guess the myth of the foundation of Rome appeals to my Italian roots.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I get a bit embarrassed to confess that La Fanciulla del West is my favourite opera because I suspect it is the Mills and Boon of the opera world, but what can I say, I love that lush orchestration and melodic invention, not to mention feisty Minnie and bad boy Johnson.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I know why you like La Fanciulla: women on top! Girl power!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> I know why you like La Fanciulla: women on top! Girl power!


Well you must admit that it makes a change. And she gets her man







.


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## delallan (Jan 4, 2011)

sospiro said:


> :trp: another _Boccanegra_ fan!
> 
> Please forgive the ott reaction delallan - I sometimes get some strange looks/comments when I say _Boccanegra_ is my favourite opera. Not on here of course, they're used to me by now.


I must say I really really enjoyed it!! It was a very emotional work. I think I will watch it with 'Te Kanawa, Domingo, Chernov, Lloyd' on MET Player. I love Te Kanawa's voice.

Peace,
Del


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

delallan said:


> I must say I really really enjoyed it!! It was a very emotional work. I think I will watch it with 'Te Kanawa, Domingo, Chernov, Lloyd' on MET Player. I love Te Kanawa's voice.
> 
> Peace,
> Del


I love that version - I think it's my favourite. Enjoy.


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