My husband and I bought standing room tickets a few weeks ago for a Staatsoper ballet, and I thought I%26#39;d share my experience. There were many, many people crammed into the space. Even the aisle was filled with people, so they didn%26#39;t even have a rail to lean on. I thought to myself that it was a terrible fire hazard, but anyway. About 45 minutes into the ballet, a woman passed out. She fell flat on the floor and made a big noise. The attendant came and pulled her up and esorted her quickly out of the theater. I really felt like he was less concerned with her health than with keeping things orderly.
Later on in the performance, I began to feel very, very warm. With so many people in tight quarters, it%26#39;s no wonder. Then some vertigo set in and I was worried I was going to be sick. I stepped out of the standing area and sat on the stairs to try to let the nausea pass. The attendant told me very firmly that I could not sit there. I wasn%26#39;t blocking anything or in the way, but he made me move. We left and took a taxi home. Please note I%26#39;m in my 20s, so I%26#39;m not a fragile, older person.
I personally would not do standing room tickets ever again. I thought I%26#39;d share my experience, but of course - to each their own.
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Standing room at European concert/opera performances is not all that unusual. The promenade concerts in London%26#39;s Royal Albert Hall are based on the premise that %26quot;promenaders%26quot; stand. But it%26#39;s not everybody%26#39;s cup of tea and I personally would never do it. But I can afford the extra to pay for a seat and not everyone is in that position. As you rightly conclude: to each his own - though your remarks may help some people to make up their minds.
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Thanks for sharing your experience and sorry to hear how your evening at the opera ended. I am a frequent visitor of the standing room myself and I think you are adressing a problem everyone thinking about trying the standing room should be aware of:
The %26quot;Parterre%26quot; standing room gets very crowded and hot and not every visitor will get a place near a rail to hold on to. Especially in the winter, when people are dressed warmly, visitors tend to get problems with the blood-circulation/nausea. I have experienced several times that other visitors had to quickly leave or even passed out.
Therfore, visitors of the standing room should dress in layers and get rid of those so as to always feel comfortable.
People who don%26#39;t feel fit to stand relatively still in a crowded place for an hour or two should either opt for a seat or at least avoid the %26quot;Parterre%26quot; standing room and go for the %26quot;Balkon%26quot; or %26quot;Gallerie%26quot; areas. Especially the latter one has a much more airy feel, better ventilation, less people and everyone has a rail to hold on to or a rail in the back to lean back to.
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By the way, the reason why you were asked not to sit on the stairs is the fire-regulations.
And yes, I do agree it%26#39;s ridiculous that they let so many people in in the first place and then those who are about to faint are asked not to sit on the stairs!
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