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John Williams & the Vienna Philharmonic: January 18/19 2020


Ricard

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3 hours ago, Biodome said:

 

The 19th is similar, but you've got some more seats to choose from in the back:

 

SmartSelect_20191024-052716_Chrome.jpg

 

I don't know why the seats have gone so fast. I too remember that last year there were some decent ones even days after the start of the general sale. It looks like the word about the concerts has spread much faster this time, and, perhaps, the coincidence with the Star Wars hype has attracted more people.

 

There is no convenient diagram for which seats correspond to which prices this time. You have to click on the seats to get a price. But the diagram from last year looks similar, so you could get an idea of what it would cost:

 

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Man, most of those seats are ridiculously priced. I'm starting to wonder if the Musikverein is the main source of income for the state of Austria.

 

I'll rather go to an LSO concert, if that happens.

 

 

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It says "Restkarten" (some single tickets) are available at the box office before the concert (if tickets return)...

I think both are sold out for the moment...

 

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I don't see the reason for this. In 2018, there were still tickets available some day after the sale starts.

Do you think it's because the "missing" concert in the RAH, that all fans are travelling to Vienna?

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Both concerts now have this message:

Remaining tickets for this event are available during the opening hours by phone +43 1 505 81 90 or one hour before the concert starts at the box-office.

 

What a crock of shit! Spent twenty minutes watching a loading screen then when it finally comes back, you can't even buy tickets for either concert. How the hell did all remaining tickets get sold when nobody could access the website?

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1 minute ago, crumbs said:

What a crock of shit! Spent twenty minutes watching a loading screen then when it finally comes back, you can't even buy tickets for either concert.

 

Same here... F***

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Sheer madness. Didn't they learn anything from their colleagues at RAH? Williams is as big as any big rock star and will cause servers to crash.

 

I managed to snag an uncomfortable 'standing ticket' on Sunday just by juggling various windows (one of them got slowly through while the rest got stuck). But the likehood of me selling this on is VERY big.

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10 minutes ago, crumbs said:


Is there any chance they might announce a third concert? Trying to be positive... At this point I doubt I'll ever see Williams perform live in my lifetime.

 

I am hoping he will arrange something with the LSO when he is in Europe. It's just a 2-hour flight away from Vienna.

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Try to write to tickets@musikverein.at

 

They usually response in reasonable time and should there be something available, they will let you know

 

I bought 4 tickets this way for 18th during members pre-sales on Tuesday, the website was down as well...

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14 minutes ago, Thor said:

Sheer madness. Didn't they learn anything from their colleagues at RAH? Williams is as big as any big rock star and will cause servers to crash.

 

I managed to snag an uncomfortable 'standing ticket' on Sunday just by juggling various windows (one of them got slowly through while the rest got stuck). But the likehood of me selling this on is VERY big.

 

On Sunday? Then the members presale hadn't even started!

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I bet that you will see 300 tickets on Viagogo or some shit, being re-sold at €800 minimum. Those sites tend to summon their hordes of bots to buy out high-profile events like this.

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31 minutes ago, Biodome said:

 

I am hoping he will arrange something with the LSO when he is in Europe. It's just a 2-hour flight away from Vienna.

 

I would also rather see another concert with the LSO than with the VPO. But that's just a guess of course.

 

Both concerts are now Sold Out...

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Probably I'm the unluckiest guy ever...Managed to put 2 of the €140 tickets in my basket, went to checkout, entered all payment info, proceeded to final screen (success screen)... and it keeps loading...Checked my bank account, transaction has been approved. 

 

30 min later got an email from Musikverein that the purchase was not completed, and that I should try again (ugh...).

 

So yeah...what a way to start the morning.

 

 

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4 hours ago, crumbs said:

Why are the 59 euro blue seats right on stage so cheap? You're right there next to the orchestra looking straight at Williams!

 

Is there something blocking your view or is it just because of the acoustics?

 

Uncomfortable seats and shitty acoustics I imagine.

1 hour ago, Modest Expectations said:

Btw. the website works and there are still standing places available. I wonder whether they have an endless supply of those.

 

Around 400 I believe. Also all sold out now of course.

1 hour ago, alawill75 said:

I don't see the reason for this. In 2018, there were still tickets available some day after the sale starts.

 

This is what I expected it to be like last year. I couldn't fathom why it took months to sell out, and even then it was only one of the two concerts.

56 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Is there any chance they might announce a third concert? Trying to be positive... At this point I doubt I'll ever see Williams perform live in my lifetime.

 

Can't imagine. Neither will the Philharmoniker have time in their schedule, nor will Williams have the energy to do a third one straight away. I hope he makes it through the two of them without any trouble!

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Looks like the Vienna Philharmonic took down their Facebook post, advertising the concerts.

Edit: They restored it. Probably hid it during the peak hours to reduce traffic due to likes, shares, etc.?

 

SmartSelect_20191024-104008_Chrome.jpg

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17 hours ago, moz_1983 said:

Very disappointed to have lost the Raiders March, but it's been my lifelong dream to see JW conduct the Jurassic Park theme. I will cry tears of joy and I'm not even exaggerating.

 

 

Yeah but with Williams conducting it'll be the rubbish speeded up version. At least Dirk had the good sense to slow it down last year in London, as it should be.

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21 minutes ago, Quintus said:

 

Yeah but with Williams conducting it'll be the rubbish speeded up version. At least Dirk had the good sense to slow it down last year in London, as it should be.

Yeah, funny how the smallest difference in speed makes ALL the difference. I loved the London speeds, also most performances from LA with Dudamel.

Crazy how the servers crashed again today, hopefully some of you managed to get some tickets!

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1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

I hope he makes it through the two of them without any trouble!

True. The last time we saw him I thought he looked quite frail while walking... But then he started conducting and it felt like a completely different person. To paraphrase Howard Shore, gotta keep this baton moving! :)

 

Karol

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1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

This is what I expected it to be like last year. I couldn't fathom why it took months to sell out, and even then it was only one of the two concerts.

 

Isn't it possible that it just seems to be sold out, while the Musikverein is holding back tickets which will be made available at later dates?

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I only managed to get standing tickets. Do you know how that works in terms of localization in concert room / is it bearable? Can we still get some view of the scene?

Also, since there seems to be quite a lot of standing tickets, do we need early queuing?

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8 minutes ago, Plop said:

I only managed to get standing tickets. Do you know how that works in terms of localization in concert room / is it bearable? Can we still get some view of the scene?

Also, since there seems to be quite a lot of standing tickets, do we need early queuing?

I think people stand in the back of the hall, and yeah, it makes sense to queue up early, so you can pick a good spot.

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19 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Isn't it possible that it just seems to be sold out, while the Musikverein is holding back tickets which will be made available at later dates?

 

It's possible. I think they kept back some tickets last year and released them later on. But I wouldn't count on too many, I'd imagine they would have opened the reserve contingents already once everything else sold out.

 

They did mention something on Tuesday about a certain contingent being reserved for "members" or something. I imagine that means they've still blocked some tickets for the musicians, and some of those might or might not come back into circulation at some point.

 

It certainly can't hurt to call them (or perhaps email them, although the website doesn't mention that) to get on a waiting list if there is one.

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Regarding standing areas, I found this on the web:

 

Quote

Once you have your ticket, no matter where you bought it, show up an hour or so before the concert and get in line for the hall to open.  If it’s a big concert and you want to be able to see anything at all, show up earlier.  If you don’t care if you can see, show up whenever.  Check your coat and large bags downstairs beforehand, you can’t bring them into the hall.  There are two lines, one for house left and one right.  When it’s time to claim spots the ushers let everyone in and there is a rapid free-for-all into the big open space that constitutes standing room.  The first row of spots disappear in the blink of an eye, go as fast as you possibly can.  The people in the front can lean on the bar marking off the space and see stuff, as long as they aren’t behind a pillar (which always happens to me).  Everyone else is just standing in the big open area, craning their necks.  The big disadvantage is that you don’t have anything to lean on unless you are in the front.  It’s pretty uncomfortable.

 

If an usher appears in standing room 10-15 minutes before the performance, run towards him or her as fast as you can, because he or she might have free extra tickets and will give you a seat.  It only happens occasionally, though.

 

Not the best way to experience a concert, if you ask me, but seats at the Musikverein can be pricey and hard to get.  The Staatsoper standing room is an excruciating process for a big reward, this is an easy process for a less awesome prize.  But it works.

 

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20 minutes ago, Modest Expectations said:

Christopher Lee said in the AOTC behind the scenes interview that he could still move his arms quite quickly and dexterously, but his legs were no good anymore. I suppose it's the same with conductors. Trouble moving legs that have to support the entire body, but arms are still ok. That being said, the effort to wave arms and a baton for a long time seems tiring to me even when I'm just looking at it. Lots of respect for conductors in general, and the elderly ones especially.

 

It's not unusual for older or otherwise frail conductors to sit on a chair. Even younger ones do it at the opera for longer works (Thielemann sat down last week for the 4 hour Frau ohne Schatten). In Tanglewood at least, Williams was standing the entire time. I imagine they will let him sit if he wants to, and if he doesn't then he probably wants to conduct standing up.

20 minutes ago, Plop said:

I only managed to get standing tickets. Do you know how that works in terms of localization in concert room / is it bearable? Can we still get some view of the scene?

Also, since there seems to be quite a lot of standing tickets, do we need early queuing?

 

The standing area is basically a rectangular area below the balcony. Several hundred people are packed together there, and there's only a small railing in the front (to separate the area from the rear row of the seating area). The first (or fastest) 10 people or so will get those comfy spots. Everyone else just crowds around behind them. If you're reasonably tall and early enough, you can stay at the back and lean on the wall.

 

Queuing certainly helps. I think they open the standing area doors half an hour before the concert, but don't quote me on that. In any case, people queue much earlier than that, in front of the stairs, and then you still have two queues (one on the left and one on the right side of the hall) and people trying to overtake others, so it's a bit of a struggle.

 

The view should be distant but alright, if you're tall enough not to be blocked by the people in front of you. There's a few pillars (in between the bits of railing), but unless you're among the last to enter, you won't end up right behind one of those.

9 minutes ago, Biodome said:

The Staatsoper standing room is an excruciating process for a big reward, this is an easy process for a less awesome prize.

 

The Staatsoper standing area is awesome. Reasonably comfortable in comparison (every row has its own railing to lean on), subtitle displays on every row, and among the best spots in the house, acoustically and view wise. They recently ramped up the prices from €4 to €10, and judging from my one visit since that change, that's great, because you no longer get a large bunch of clueless tourists who make a lot of noise (and thankfully leave after the first act).

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1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

Queuing certainly helps. I think they open the standing area doors half an hour before the concert, but don't quote me on that. In any case, people queue much earlier than that, in front of the stairs, and then you still have two queues (one on the left and one on the right side of the hall) and people trying to overtake others, so it's a bit of a struggle.

 

Geez, it's that mad? "I'm too old for this shit", as the saying goes.

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Ha, ha....you're very welcome, JS. But I'm guessing the distance is a bit too great for a concert of this small size, relatively speaking. But I'll no doubt make a concert thread about it in January, as in "here's what I did while everybody was hanging out with the man himself in Vienna"-type thing.

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