Just curious -- how do people choose their seats in a concert hall? Does it depend entirely on the particular hall, do you have personal preferences, or are there some well-established rules of which seats are better?

At a rock concert it's easy. Standing venue: front row, up against the stage. The sound is worse but the atmosphere's better. Seated venue: mid-stalls to give the best balance between a good sound and a good view. At the couple of classical concerts I've been to I've also gone for mid-stalls, but only because I don't know any better.

What do other people prefer?

Best balance of budget, acoustic and sightline - so yes, it varies by venue.

Royal Opera House - balcony standing, or Side Amphitheatre.  I occasionally splash out on a stalls seat for a contemporary work where the top price is only £50.

ENO - fortunately I usually get these for free or on special offer.  There aren't any good value places to sit at full price any more

In concert halls there are often seats at the far sides or front that are great value; I also like the Choir seats at the RFH, which are bottom price, but only for orchestral concerts (where soloists are involved I like to have a front view).  At the Albert Hall it's got to be the Arena, preferably frontish-centre or frontish-left.

For a solo vocal recital with piano I like to be on the front row if at all possible, at least at venues like St John's Smith Square where the platform isn't too high and the front row isn't really low down.  At the Barbican for a solo vocal recital I go for the front block but generally a couple of rows back, or you spend the entire concert being put off by the soloists' frayed dresses or odd choices of footwear (Robin Blaze singing Messiah while wearing Santa socks, anyone? )

I avoid having an overhang above me wherever possible - ROH Balcony Standing is the exception, as it's got an open enough aspect to retain a good acoustic.

I usually sit where I can afford, which generally means I have to bring an oxygen tank with me.  But the sound up there is often better than it is at the back of the stalls (particularly if that's under a balcony).

In venues where I have a choice, about a third of the way back in the stalls is my preference.  And not too far to one side or another.  But I have an irrational dislike of being exactly in the centre.

(On the other hand, being exactly in the centre of the front row of the balcony can feel quite good.)

I always wonder about seats behind the stage.  I've never sat in one.  It must be quite a different experience seeing a concert from that perspective, let alone hearing it.  Any thoughts on that?

The front row is also not great if someone you know well is performing.  That can be embarrassing in both directions.

It's great sometimes to be able to watch the conductor from the front.  And sitting behind the orchestra for big percussiony works can be really exciting.  I recommend it for Shostakovich symphonies!  Having said that, I haven't tried it since the RFH was refurbed - the choir seats are now quite far above the orchestra, and I suspect it's perhaps to the detriment of those seats.


Ohhh I know what you mean.  I do try to be on at least the second row when it's somebody I know.  Just that one extra row makes all the difference.  I went to a concert recently at a major venue and thought I was on the second row, but row B turned out to be the front row (I knew that to be the case at the Barbican, but this wasn't at the Barbican).  One of the soloists - let's say "singer X" is an acquaintance.  Fortunately she did not see me there until they were taking bows afterwards.  Anyhow, one of the OTHER soloists - "singer Y" - was just excruciatingly bad.  Singer X was staring hard at the score in her lap during singer Y's contribution, trying not to wince or laugh.  I was similarly trying not to wince or laugh as I was literally directly in front of singer Y, about 3 feet away.  Singer X and I discussed this by email afterwards.  However, I was extremely grateful for the fact that singer X and I did not catch one another's eye until AFTER the concert.

I will not describe the concert further, so as to avoid compromising the professionalism of my acquaintance, but there is at least one member of this forum who knows which concert I'm talking about, and I did discuss it on here at the time!

Agreed re: the side stalls at the RFH, previously the Annexe - the first three rows, though, not the cheap one at the back.

I was in the same row as you at that SJSS concert, too   I've never sat upstairs at SJSS.  I once sat upstairs at the Wigmore and it was a strange feeling - although it's full view, you feel somehow detached from the concert.  Cadogan Hall gallery seats are good, though; they still have that feeling of intimacy with the performers.

I always feel sorry for the people in the SJSS balconies.  As a violinist I face directly towards them, and can easily watch as they twist around and crane their necks to try to get a better look at the stage.  Maybe the two sides of the balcony should swap during the interval, so everyone up there can twist in the other direction for the second half of the concert...

George, never mind aisle-wimpery, spare a thought for us vertigo sufferers. Things are getting pretty bad. ROH? OUT, for now, even in the stalls (can't look up). Ditto RAH. Might just hang in there in the Coliseum if I wasn't too high up. I even had to stand at the back in the Brighton Dome the other night, but that was a little to do with nervousness as well. Aaaargh. Thanks for listening. 

Don't even mention it!



As for standing at the back, composers know how to bribe the cute steward...