Anyone got a lead on tickets to the Bolshoi?

[Percival504 0]

I'm going to be in Moscow during a performance of Swan Lake -- seems stupid not to see this @ the Bolshoi. Does anyone know of a place to get good prices on tickets? I've seen prices ranging from $220.00 for the cheapest seats to $200.00 for the best seats in the house -- I know I'm not anyone's favorite poster, but does anyone have a lead?

[dmhweb 0]

Ha... Have to laugh at this one...

That's the standard bribe line...

"How many tickets to the Bolshoi do you need"

The 100 ruble note has the image of the Bolshoi theater on it

[Satellite 1]

This is a hard one. The scalpers bought up all the tickets months in advance. They peddle the tickets outside the theater for crazy prices. But what can you do. They don't sell anything online. If you are a local you buy from ticket booth for performances well in advanced. I think the "regular" price is somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 to 1500 rubles depending on the quality of the seat. Good luck finding the best deal from the scalpers.

Also try:

http://www.visitrussia.com/price-0/bolshoi.htm

http://www.boxoffice.bolshoi.org/

But these are still from third parties.

Or go directly to the source:

http://boxoffice.bolshoi.ru/

But I think its 60 days advance notice. Student tickets are very cheap for example. If I remember reading correctly, as low as 20 rubles!

[Percival504 0]

Thanks for the info, guys.

[Neonred 3,571]

I see you can still order direct onlne and pick them up at the box office. I have done this many times myself. Best seats for this month are $115 and several available for $67 and $75 in the Kremlin hall, but I am not familiar with this location. Next month the seats are a little more expensive and the performance is in the New hall. I still prefer the old hall, but I guess they are renovating again.

[slim 1,525]

Once again, I have to recommend Olesya Pomazan, the Russiangirlfriday. She does stuff like this. E-mail her through her website and I'm sure she'll be able to get you a line on some pretty good seats at a fair price. She'll be able to get tickets in-hand and hold them for you, that way you won't have to worry about being scammed.

Check out her website: http://www.russiangirlfriday.com

[Satellite 1]

She'll be able to get tickets in-hand and hold them for you, that way you won't have to worry about being scammed.

This would only work if you planned well in advance and she went and bought the tickets in advance from the ticket booth and didn't charge you an unreasonable markup. Based on her prices per hour for small errands, it is pretty much the same markup the scalpers have.

"25-30 EUR will cover most small errands, e.g. to buy tickets or to deliver something within Moscow, or to send a parcel etc." http://www.russiangirlfriday.com/prices.htm

I consider this an unreasonable markup by all standards. No handling fee in America runs at $50+.

I balked when I read that because most average income earning Russians make only a few dollars an hour at best. Getting those tickets will take only a few hours at most, metro costs just 30 rubles roundtrip. Yet another reason why work with foreigners gets you unreasonable and unconscionable profits.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Satellite

[slim 1,525]

Absolutely pass if it's going to be a 25-30 Euro charge.

However, that may still be the cheapest way to acquire tickets.