Royal Albert Hall

[Grandadwasthatyou]

Well now I'm over 60 I've decided life is too short just to talk about what I would like to do rather than actually doing it.
So first item on the agenda is to attend some classical concerts. The first is at the Royal Albert Hall. I am not from London so am not at all familiar with the layout of this venue. The tickets the system has allocated me state Arena row b. Before I click buy I want to make sure they are ok seats but when I have looked at the seating plan I can see nowhere which mentions " Arena".
Can anybody help please? I know tickets aren't cheap but don't mind paying about £100 each. Where would it be best to choose?

Does this help at all OP?

www.royalalberthall.com/plan-your-visit-essential-safety-information/venue-and-seating-plan/view-from-your-seat/view-from-your-seat-standard-layout-2/

What are you going to see?

I like being a bit higher up but it's probably personal preference. Hope you enjoy the show!

@BookkeeperBobby oh that is fantastic, really useful thank you. It's the Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov.

Yes definitely higher up ( although you've probs got them n9w!) I went to see the queen's jubilee concert on 16th March...we were row C arena....good view of the strings ....but not the wind musicians....we can't complain because they were freebie tickets and we had a lovely time...but I wouldn't choose those seats if it was me booking

Stalls blocks G & H give you a good view of a pianist's hands as you're to the side of the piano, generally. The seats in the stalls also swivel so you can move them round to have your most comfortable view of the stage. Not sure about arena seating, it's lower down than the stalls. You get a very interesting view from the choir stalls, as you're behind the orchestra - I've almost been on top of the percussion section sat there!

Oh wow, he'll be a real treat! Fabulous.

One other thing to consider is where key people stand. So conductor in the middle with their back to you, violinist to the left, as you look, and during the performance the violinist can tend to turn away from those on the left so you don't always get a good view of their fingers/face if you yourself are too far over to the left. If that's important to you.

Also, when you start getting to the boxes, some of them are way round the side and your view is a bit skewhiff ime. Although you are still quite nice and close to the stage.

Don't forget to order an interval drink for yourself!

Glad the plan is useful.

When I've been to the RAH I've sat in stalls G and O because I prefer tiered seating. Those tickets are just under £100 and I thought they were good seats.

Here's a site that shows you views from various seats. This one is the grand tier which I think is probably my favourite, especially middle grand tier, more over to the left than this photo. I feel like queen of the world when I sit in middle grand tier.

aviewfrommyseat.co.uk/venue/royal+albert+hall/Grand+Tier+25/

[quote BookkeeperBobby]Here's a site that shows you views from various seats. This one is the grand tier which I think is probably my favourite, especially middle grand tier, more over to the left than this photo. I feel like queen of the world when I sit in middle grand tier.

aviewfrommyseat.co.uk/venue/royal+albert+hall/Grand+Tier+25/[/quote]
Wow, brilliant site!
Thank you @BookkeeperBobby

I always go to Theatre Monkey for seat recommendations and warning and other comments about the venue in general.

www.theatremonkey.com/venues/royal-albert-hall

Hope you have a wonderful time!

Im off the the RAH on Saturday to see concert of film music. Ive been several times, and have had a seat in a loggia box once or twice.
The RA H booking site tells you where the seats are and if its an unobstructed view. I tend to go to the back of the stalls if Im there for music as it can get very loud at the front ! I love the Albert Hall

If its a Russian violinist are you sure his concert hasn’t been cancelled?

Urk, I'd forgotten about this bizarre witch hunt. Let's hope not.

@BookkeeperBobby oh no I hadn't even thought of that. This concert is already rescheduled from last year due to covid.

@Nocaloriesinchocolate sorry that was meant for you.

Further back/higher up in the stalls is v good value I agree - the sound/view is good and it's only about 20 quid more than the upper circle (where you really are some distance from everything).

Who knows what will happen with the Russians? The international concert circuit would look v different without any of them in it or indeed anyone from other countries with dodgy politics if this is the basis on which we're going to book musicians from now on. Just do it OP. Hopefully they'll all be un-banned by then.