Proms dates 2019

[Norrette]

Personally I think they should go back to a pen and paper system which was much more civilised.

As an IT pro I find myself surprised to agree with you.

[Norrette]

What a total effing shambles! I managed to get in the queue at only (only!) position 1331 in the queue, proceeded through the system, launched my planner, got the two concerts I wanted (Barenboim and Haitink), made the relevant choices (deliver by post or email? Donate?), entered the payment details, until I finally reached the page that said:

YOUR ORDER IS BEING PROCESSED

Please do not refresh this page

It reached this point when the little sign at the top said "16:30 remaining to complete purchase" until it ran down to 00:00, when this appeared:

Your basket has expired.

So did they take the money? No confirmation email from RAH, no sign of it with the bank, so presumably they didn't and the thing failed: no tickets.

Not surprisingly, I'm FURIOUS!

OTOH, at least I saved £110 and I'll listen to the concerts at home for nothing. S*d the RAH!

My sympathies. I think they tested the system with the levy being added and then forgot to test with the levy being removed. Some people being charged extra £45

[Simon B]

As an IT pro I find myself surprised to agree with you.

My background is similar - that's actually the basis for my view!

[Barbirollians]

I have had the my order is being processed e-mail but it says they have authorised payment and my order should be confirmed within 24 hours - not quite sure when they have allocated seats what the delay is ?

Perhaps to analyse bot buyers?

[Norrette]

Well finally in, and nary a stalls ticket for the Shostakovich 10. Have deleted the other concerts. First year after 25 years, I'm not going.

[Rcartes]

First year after 25 years, I'm not going.

Me too, though in my case it's nearer 50 years (I think 1969 was the first).

[Simon B]

I eventually got tickets for 3 of the 12 concerts I wanted - in two separate transactions (don't ask).

No Haitink/VPO or Rattle/LSO - not a surprise really, plus no acceptable seats for the others. On the plus side I doubt the Bruckner 7 will be able to surpass the Bruckner 4 BH did with the LSO recently to mark his 90th...

Worst outcome in 25 years though. I love this booking system .

Still, I've got used to standing at Covent Garden for most things in the last few years due to escalating costs. I survived Gotterdammerung, so maybe I'll be able to cope with standing in the arena for the first time since I was a student if it comes to it. Nothing to lean on there though, unlike in the ROH standing places - doesn't sound ideal at 6'4" and tall-bloke's-back becoming an issue...

Deep joy.

[jbareham]

Had the same problem, but have now got a confirmation e-mail and I've checked my account as well, the order has completed. Took 2 hours between the e-mail that the order was being processed and confirmation!

[Hilaryjane]

I eventually got tickets for 3 of the 12 concerts I wanted - in two separate transactions (don't ask).

No Haitink/VPO or Rattle/LSO - not a surprise really, plus no acceptable seats for the others. On the plus side I doubt the Bruckner 7 will be able to surpass the Bruckner 4 BH did with the LSO recently to mark his 90th...

Worst outcome in 25 years though. I love this booking system .

Still, I've got used to standing at Covent Garden for most things in the last few years due to escalating costs. I survived Gotterdammerung, so maybe I'll be able to cope with standing in the arena for the first time since I was a student if it comes to it. Nothing to lean on there though, unlike in the ROH standing places - doesn't sound ideal at 6'4" and tall-bloke's-back becoming an issue...

Deep joy.

There are seats in the arena, which you can reserve by phoning at 9.00am or in person after 12.00pm, if you are unable to stand.

[Demetrius]

Still, I've got used to standing at Covent Garden for most things in the last few years due to escalating costs. I survived Gotterdammerung, so maybe I'll be able to cope with standing in the arena for the first time since I was a student if it comes to it. Nothing to lean on there though, unlike in the ROH standing places - doesn't sound ideal at 6'4" and tall-bloke's-back becoming an issue...

If you get there reasonably early (before 8 am) to receive your queue ticket at 9 am (you can leave after that), you have a decent chance to end up in the first row and lean on the barrier. Acoustically, there are probably pros and cons to that. There is a decided rush to the first row though when you get into the Arena, at least one older chap actually prefers to stand in second row without anything to lean on to escape that.

Of course, those in the row behind you will enjoy your 6'4'' heartily

[gurnemanz]

Still, I've got used to standing at Covent Garden for most things in the last few years due to escalating costs. I survived Gotterdammerung, so maybe I'll be able to cope with standing in the arena for the first time since I was a student if it comes to it. Nothing to lean on there though, unlike in the ROH standing places - doesn't sound ideal at 6'4" and tall-bloke's-back becoming an issue...

Likewise. And you can note quite a few other oldies in evidence down there. I've also been standing in the arena since I was student 50 years. (Bit of a lull during child-rearing period.) We now go 2-3 times per year. Sometimes picked out, sometimes random, maybe if we have already been in London during the day for something else (art show or theatre matinee). If the programme suits, the prom is a pleasant add-on.

cheap
you can choose your position
you can get into soldout concerts
easy to turn up spontaneously. We often go to less popular ones where you can just walk up without queueing. We've only once turned up and not got in.

We know our limits and will always now book for longer works eg R Wagner, Andras Schiiff Well-Tempered Book 2 last year.

[PhilipT]

At the time a fellow Forumista described the sound upstairs as 'muddy' and said he'd stopped going, so I know I'm not the only one to have experienced this.

I think that was me. Just to clarify - if I want to go to CH then either I book a Stalls seat or I don't go at all. It's a shame you can't choose where in the Stalls, but this year I seem to have got something central near the front for PCH 6, 7 & 8. I'm happy to put up with poor acoustics at a Prom in exchange for the feeling of involvement in the music-making that comes from being so close to the performers, but at Cadogan Hall the sound quality matters.

[alywin]

Good old PostScript. Time to put another order in.

I decided, in the end, to order from WHSmith: online it was £5.04 (as opposed to full price in the shops - go figure), and I was getting desperate to read the thing before booking opened. The local branches of Waitrose (£5) finally got around to getting copies in once booking had opened, which wasn't a lot of use.

[Edgy 2]

Yannick Nézet-Séguin will replace Mariss Jansons at the Proms.
Let’s hope MJ is soon back to full good health

https://slippedisc.com/2019/06/breaking-jansons-pulls-out-of-salzburg/

Apologies if this has already been highlighted

[kernelbogey]

Advice please

I am meeting my brother at the RAH on Thursday for the Britten/Mahler.

He has restricted movement because of arthritis, and is worried about how he gets to Victoria station after the concert.

Any tips please about getting a taxi from the hall?

Our provisional plan is to go have dinner after the prom. Any tips, equally, about a mid-price restaurant which is a short walk from the hall? He can manage 200-300 yards' walking on a good day!