Royal Opera House London: seats

[ConstanzeMozart]

Hi all. I have two tickets for a ballet performace here, but can now only use one. I'm going to return the other one for a credit, but does anyone know which is likely to have the better view?

Row G, Seat 67 | Amphitheatre
Row A, Seat 78 | Balcony

TIA

£60
Even Natalia (or Marianela) cannot justify that, for me.

Sadly I don't have existing birdwatching binos. Would use them with no shame if I did

I have come to the conclusion that there are Osipova fans, for whom she can do no wrong and who will travel the world to see her (unfortunately including booing her replacement if she is unable to perform)... and then there's everybody else.

From my own personal taste point of view, I prefer the Royal style and Osipova is just slightly too Bolshoi for me.

DD worships the ground Marianela Nunez walks on, but then she's had variation coaching from her, so that's fairly understandable really!

Amphitheatre at the ROH, you’ll see more of the company dancers because you see more depth of the stage - the most expensive seats aren’t actually the best for the ballet. Same with the opera actually, best acoustics are in the amphitheatre

Nunez is Nunez and Osipova is Osipova. Three undisputed greats of the modern era, and two of them are at the ROH. How lucky you are.

I have been to the revamped Bolshoi a few times (though more frequently to Marinsky) and don't really follow that criticism. Beautiful dancing is beautiful dancing.

It isn't a criticism of Osipova at all, sorry if I didn't make that clear. I too have seen the Bolshoi live, but when we're talking Russian/Vaganova style, on the whole I prefer the Mariinsky trained dancer. Just personal preference really. I'm just getting my teeth into Bournonville and Balanchine. I learned the Cecchetti method when I was a child (although at the time I didn't know it).

When I'm watching a Royal Ballet performance I like to see the RB style really. It just fits.

I saw Giselle with Fumi Kaneko and Vadim Muntagirov. It was amazing and my first visit to the ROH

Oh my gosh, you lucky thing, they just got married didn't they. Beautiful beautiful couple.

I am too ignorant to get into the discussion about Royal vs Bolshoi/Russian! I personally find Osipova more emotionally vivid, lyrical and dynamic than Nunez (going by the little I’ve seen of them both and never live). No idea if that has to do with style/training though.
Can anyone help me out with a source for decent but not too expensive opera glasses that I can order and receive by next weds or thur?

The ROH website does a seat view

I'm not there all the time but went twice last year and have two ballets booked this year (so far).

I can do it because I gave up smoking a couple of years ago 😇 Saving about £500 a month so the occasional £100 on a ballet ticket doesn't seem so bad.

I know, but I couldn't find pics from my seats.

@ConstanzeMozart Hi there, as far as I can see, Osipova is still on the cast list for the performance you are seeing, so fingers crossed she is able to perform.

Sad to report that Marianela Nunez sustained an injury during the performance when she replaced Natalia Osipova last week.

I’ve got all my fingers and toes crossed too! I didn’t know that about Nunez. So, God, if the worst happens and NO isn’t fit on Thursday, I’ll be seeing someone else entirely…

Fingers crossed. My DD and I were sitting in the nearby McDonald's when the cast list came through confirming we were seeing Osipova that night. It was the most radiantly happy we have ever been at the Golden Arches. :D

@ConstanzeMozart As of when I looked just now... so far it seems there are no cast changes for tonight.

I hear it was Osipova tonight

I do hope so for OP's sake! I saw that Natalia's intended partner tonight was the same Asutralian man we saw opposite her as Romeo, Patricio Revé- very skilled artist and I have no doubt he'd be a very fine Albrecht. Agog for your review, OP!

Hi all. It WAS Osipova, and she was magnificent. I basically sobbed throughout, and I’m getting emotional talking about it now. She’s magnetic. She’s the best dance actor I’ve seen. Her actual dancing defies belief.
Letitia Dias as Myrtha was also wonderful. Technically brilliant and so expressive. Patricio Revé was wonderful and he and Osipova have real chemistry.
The corps have some incredibly difficult and precise work to do in this ballet, and they were superb. The use of the stage and their timing and flow in their group numbers was terrific.
I went for the amphitheatre seat in the end, and it was very good; didn’t feel too far away at all. I did use opera glasses for some of the more intimate/intense solo and pas moments, but honestly she is such a good actor you can feel what she’s feeling anyway.
I have an £80 credit on my Royal Ballet account from returning the other ticket, which of course now feels like free money 😄
I’ve got all my fingers and toes crossed for Osipova doing Kitri in Don Quixote again.
Thanks everybody, for your advice and support.

So pleased for you (and Natalia!).

It was actually Wednesday's performance I'd really liked to have seen, but was unable to go due to other commitments. I've been following the career of Joseph Sissens for a long time (family friend), and would have loved to have seen his Albrecht.

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Glad you enjoyed it

Your review made me so happy, OP. I remember that feeling of rapture, the collective sigh when Osipova started dancing. An actress to her fingertips. And her leaps unearthly, she seemed to float...

Have never seen an ovation go on that long either.

The only time I have experienced an amphitheatre pulsating with such love for the performer was when I saw an elderly Leonard Cohen perform, and everyone present was breathing every lyric and you could "feel the love." So it was with Nataliya. She's electric!

I am SO happy for you.

@ConstanzeMozart So pleased for you.
May I ask where you got your opera glasses from?

Osipova is on the night I'm seeing Mayerling. I'm beyond excited.