Opera Fans Furious Over Long Lines at the Met

Subscribers to the Metropolitan Opera are up in arms over changes to the ticket exchange policy that contributed to massive lines at the box office yesterday. The Times reports that because of ongoing construction, many subscribers were forced to queue up in the bowels of the Lincoln Center and wait as long as five hours to switch their tickets, which they used to be able to do over the phone. Chairs were brought out for the elderly and infirm, but opera fanatics like Wanda Flickinger of Bronxville, N.Y. -- a subscriber for over 40 years -- were not placated: "This is an insult, what we are being put through today." Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, shrugged off the long lines on the Met's surge in popularity, telling the Times, "It’s kind of a growing pain that we are experiencing."

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By John Del Signore in Arts and Events on August 12, 2008 10:20 AM

Comments [rss]

pudeljung

I really do not understand the point nor the humor in all the cheap shots at opera "snobs".

"have their butlers stand in line for them".. ??? REALLY, kids?

people who stand in line to buy subscription seats are not rich, they've just had better music appreciation teachers than you.

pudeljung

I really do not understand the point nor the humor in all the cheap shots at opear "snobs".

have their "butlers" stand in line for them? really kids?

people who stand in line to buy subscription seats are not rich, they've just had better music appreciation teachers than you.

Jen Chung

@zodak, @grandzu--thank you, those two comments made me laugh so hard.

hungryghoast

white whine?

grandzu

I just dropped my monocle in my martini!

zodak

well i never!!

fastergrace

Seriously? If you have that big of a problem with it then don't go to the opera. I will admit, that does suck, but there are worse things.

Politburo

The article doesn't actually say they used to be able to do this action by phone.

What they could do in the past was make the substitutions immediately at the time of subscription, which could be done by phone. After you subscribe and get the tickets, changes have to be done at the box office.

Jen Chung

Well, the subscribers couldn't wait in the lobby, because it's inaccessible--and the basement is very crowded.

Brooklynbobby

The Times reports that because of ongoing construction, many subscribers were forced to queue up in the bowels of the Lincoln Center and wait as long as five hours to switch their tickets, which they used to be able to do over the phone.

So what does outside construction have to do with the phone lines?