Ballet Programme

[Shone216]

Any ideas of the cost of a programme at the ballet

[napoxoguk]

Which city/country/season/show/seats do you have in mind?

[dogs4fun]

6 hours ago, Shone216 said:

Any ideas of the cost of a programme at the ballet

The cost varies depending on the chosen theater. Are you looking to book directly through the theater? Saint Petersburg?

Info here:

https://www.balletandopera.com/

https://russianbroadway.com/

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by dogs4fun

[flowslow]

Depends on the show, the theater and the seats you choose. Better check the official websites of the ballet theaters to purchase tickets. 

[Shone216]

11 hours ago, napoxoguk said:

Which city/country/season/show/seats do you have in mind?

Swan Lake Alexandrinsky theatre St Petersburg

[napoxoguk]

13 minutes ago, Shone216 said:

Swan Lake Alexandrinsky theatre St Petersburg

Okay, that narrows it down nicely. 

For off-season (aka high tourist season), it's ₽900 to ₽7000 ($14 to $110) if purchased directly from the theater. No idea how big of a markup would tour companies add to it.

 

As I'm sure you appreciate, Alexandrinsky is a drama theater - and Russia's oldest, at that. Swan Lake there is a guest performance by a visiting ballet troupe.

[dogs4fun]

Do you have a Russian visa or are you arriving via cruise? If the latter, you must factor in the cost of transport from/to port. If you book through a tour company they will provide the necessary ticket that allows you through immigration and they will provide the transportation.

If you have a Russian visa there is really no need for a tour company & you can book directly through the theater. 

Here's a link to the theater's website: https://en.alexandrinsky.ru/

Edited August 14, 2019 by dogs4fun

[AngelDisney]

I don’t mean to hijack the thread but I have been wondering about the SPB ballet program in August. I hope it’s ok to ask the question here. Both Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky ballet companies are usually off tour in August. Are the ballet companies touring in the Mariinsky theatre in August worth a visit? A ballet is a good change of action with all the historical touring during the day, but it’s still cost a fair amount. Has anyone been to a ballet in August and can share the experience with a non-Mariinsky or non-Mikhailovsky performance? Any advice is gratefully appreciated! TIA!!

[dogs4fun]

9 minutes ago, AngelDisney said:

I don’t mean to hijack the thread but I have been wondering about the SPB ballet program in August. I hope it’s ok to ask the question here. Both Mariinsky and Mikhailovsky ballet companies are usually off tour in August. Are the ballet companies touring in the Mariinsky theatre in August worth a visit? A ballet is a good change of action with all the historical touring during the day, but it’s still cost a fair amount. Has anyone been to a ballet in August and can share the experience with a non-Mariinsky or non-Mikhailovsky performance? Any advice is gratefully appreciated! TIA!!

I now only attend ballet in Russia during the ballet season (both Kirov and Bolshoi) - I definitely noticed the difference in the quality of the performances offered to tourists during the summer. JMHO

[AngelDisney]

Just now, dogs4fun said:

I now only attend ballet in Russia during the ballet season (both Kirov and Bolshoi) - I definitely noticed the difference in the quality of the performances offered to tourists during the summer. JMHO

Thank you! Probably I will have to wait till next time. This gives me a reason to visit again in the future after retirement. As a teacher, I travel in the summer. I love classical music and opera but have never been to a ballet. I checked a YouTube video of a company touring at Mariinsky this August and not impressed. Thanks again! I wouldn’t want to get disappointed of the Russian ballet just because I didn’t attend a highly rated one.

[angie7911922]

We went to see the Swan Lake and I am not sure which ballet company was performing. I just know I loved it. It was the first time for me to see the Ballet, while we were in St. Petersburg with Princess. We arranged a private tour with Anastasia tours during the day and when I asked Katherina what else we could fit in our schedule, she suggested it. (Wanted to make the most out of our short stay of only 2 days….),

I am not sure how the visa is arranged when you go by yourself; they arranged the pick-up and the tickets. So unfortunately I cannot give you any advice about that.

The only thing I can say that you will not regret going!

 

[AngelDisney]

14 minutes ago, angie7911922 said:

We went to see the Swan Lake and I am not sure which ballet company was performing. I just know I loved it. It was the first time for me to see the Ballet, while we were in St. Petersburg with Princess. We arranged a private tour with Anastasia tours during the day and when I asked Katherina what else we could fit in our schedule, she suggested it. (Wanted to make the most out of our short stay of only 2 days….),

I am not sure how the visa is arranged when you go by yourself; they arranged the pick-up and the tickets. So unfortunately I cannot give you any advice about that.

The only thing I can say that you will not regret going!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience! Which month of the year did you go?

 

Based on my research, if I buy ballet tickets on my own, I need to arrange a 3-hour private transfer with a tour company for visa coverage purposes. That’s about $75 per person.

[angie7911922]

11 minutes ago, AngelDisney said:

Thanks for sharing your experience! Which month of the year did you go?

 

Based on my research, if I buy ballet tickets on my own, I need to arrange a 3-hour private transfer with a tour company for visa coverage purposes. That’s about $75 per person.

 

I went in August. Where you able to find out how much a ticket would cost if you buy on your own?

[AngelDisney]

2 minutes ago, angie7911922 said:

 

I went in August. Where you able to find out how much a ticket would cost if you buy on your own?

I tried the Mariinsky website a while ago, and it gave me prices for the seats I picked. I believe it was about $75 to 90 a ticket for ballets this August. It’s cheaper than booking with the cruise with the private transfer. If booking with the cruise, I wouldn’t even know which theatre or which ballet we would be attending.

[angie7911922]

3 minutes ago, AngelDisney said:

I tried the Mariinsky website a while ago, and it gave me prices for the seats I picked. I believe it was about $75 to 90 a ticket for ballets this August. It’s cheaper than booking with the cruise with the private transfer. If booking with the cruise, I wouldn’t even know which theatre or which ballet we would be attending.

 

Why don't you contact the tour company? You can always ask them. I always have many many questions and Katharina was very patient to answer them. 

The $75 transfer, is that only the ride? 

[AngelDisney]

4 minutes ago, angie7911922 said:

 

Why don't you contact the tour company? You can always ask them. I always have many many questions and Katharina was very patient to answer them. 

The $75 transfer, is that only the ride? 

It’s only the ride for one person I think. I will contact the tour company if I decide to watch a ballet. I think the summer season opens for booking a month in advance. I will check out which ballet company is touring then and determine if we will be attending a ballet. My twin nephews saw one in Moscow and said it was excellent. Unfortunately we will not be able to see a world class one in August. 

[angie7911922]

4 minutes ago, AngelDisney said:

It’s only the ride for one person I think. I will contact the tour company if I decide to watch a ballet. I think the summer season opens for booking a month in advance. I will check out which ballet company is touring then and determine if we will be attending a ballet. My twin nephews saw one in Moscow and said it was excellent. Unfortunately we will not be able to see a world class one in August. 

 

I think you will enjoy it even if it is  not a world class performance. Good luck with finding all the info you need! I always love doing the research and trying to find the best deals. 

[Kate P.C]

7 hours ago, angie7911922 said:

We went to see the Swan Lake and I am not sure which ballet company was performing. I just know I loved it. It was the first time for me to see the Ballet, while we were in St. Petersburg with Princess. We arranged a private tour with Anastasia tours during the day and when I asked Katherina what else we could fit in our schedule, she suggested it. (Wanted to make the most out of our short stay of only 2 days….),

I am not sure how the visa is arranged when you go by yourself; they arranged the pick-up and the tickets. So unfortunately I cannot give you any advice about that.

The only thing I can say that you will not regret going!

 

We did exactly the same and one day Anastasia's team suggested the boat canal ride and the other day was the ballet. A ballet is a must in Russia and we really enjoyed it!

[kidlessatsea]

Question for anyone still out there. We will be in St. Petersburg in June (2021). My understanding is that the regular ballet season is August through May. Does this mean if we attend the ballet it will be a visiting troupe? What is the best way to find if it will be 'worth it' or not? Can I assume that all ballet in Russia is superior to the States or is that false?

Thank you for being gentle with me. 

[AngelDisney]

June should still be in regular ballet season. It’s from August to September that the top ballet theatre companies are on tour. If you visit the ballet theatre’s website like the Mariinsky’s, the ballet company performing will be noted and you can tell if it’s a troupe or not. Once you know the company and if it’s not Mariinsky, you can google them and you may find videos of their performance to decide if they are worth watching. I checked out the schedule for the past August and checked out videos of a listed company and was not impressed. So, I may not visit any ballet performance next August when I visit SPB. I would when I can visit again in the regular season. An excuse to return! 

[Host Bonjour]

On 9/5/2019 at 6:25 PM, kidlessatsea said:

Question for anyone still out there. We will be in St. Petersburg in June (2021). My understanding is that the regular ballet season is August through May. Does this mean if we attend the ballet it will be a visiting troupe? What is the best way to find if it will be 'worth it' or not? Can I assume that all ballet in Russia is superior to the States or is that false?

Thank you for being gentle with me. 

 

Different styles/methods when it comes to training/choreography especially, I think, would be the non-professional's way of describing it. This is probably something that most would not notice, except perhaps in choreography although again, if one isn't an avid follower of dance, then it might not necessarily be noticeable. But, classical ballet is classical ballet, so Swan Lake is Swan Lake and, it is by Tchaikovsky who was Russian!

 

To see a performance of Swan Lake or Romeo and Juliet in Russia would probably be particularly thrilling and even if it weren't by the elite Russian companies, if it was performed by a good company, I think it would still be quite a treat to be inside the theatre. The idea to view videos on YouTube of the guest company to see, I don't know, how is their prima or is the corps de ballet synced well, is it a good production etc...(nice costumes, sets, lighting, acting - this is not just the dancing but the emoting by the dancers faces/bodies which the ballet master and choreographer generally collaborate on, is it danced traditionally or with newer choreography?) or is it more...basic?

 

Even the best dancers have off nights, although not often. Dancing classical ballet in a company just isn't easy so while one can say, didn't love that production or so and so's jump was not thrilling, if it was deep into the program, that reviewer might be extra judgy. Or they the fouettes were one short in Swan Lake, a technical flaw but most would never notice. If a member of the corp is 1/2 inch out of line/position (or their arm or hand was), did you notice? Mister Alistair in the NY Times, I swear I don't think I read a review of ballet that he thought was...good. Most of the time it was only - tolerable at best. Perhaps he heard Balanchine's ghost counting 5-6-7-8 in his head non-stop...I don't know. But most people aren't ever looking for what he was. You can see when you watch ABT how magnificent they are; as near perfect as they can get. But we had a short ballet in the park this summer by a local professional ballet company headed by a ballet master w/legit credentials, and there were some wobbles but the stage was tiny, it was hot and we were outside, in a park! Overall, it was incredible! They did a modern performance with giant exercise balls I rolled eyes at when I saw them take the stage...nude costumes. It was HYPNOTIC and brilliant. 

 

Finally, when I was planning for my Sydney trip, I knew I wanted to be inside the Opera House. Nothing classical was in season (opera or symphony) and I didn't really care (or know about) its poor acoustics (since corrected) at the time. I wanted the memory. So the Australian Ballet was performing there and I got a ticket to see them perform. I don't think it was a full ballet, it was a trilogy of three different dances which were fantastic and the inside of the theatre was something to see. Win/Win.

 

My long point being, unless, I think, you're a season ticket holder to world class ballet and/or a former dancer, I'd say get tickets and go if the price works for you and, the type of dance being performed works for you. Do check it out online first to see if the music/style suits but if so, go. They won't be rank amateurs. If it were Julliard or  Paris Opéra Garnier students, I'd go! Or Cleveland. In that theatre? Yes. Maybe not their first year in pointe shoes, but experienced ballet dancers? Go. I think the experience can be as exciting as seeing Misty Copeland on stage at The Met...well, almost. Those performance are tough to get tix to and if you can get them, expensive. Sometimes seeing a lesser known, but still skilled company in a renowned theatre can be an amazing experience to treasure. Or, maybe you'll see the next Misty. 😉 She's out there somewhere. Just do it.