English National Opera — Local services in London

My recent visit to The English National Opera for the opera The Magic Flute was a deeply disappointing experience. While the performance itself held potential, a crucial element - the advertised moving platform - was inoperational. This significantly impacted the production and left the audience feeling misled.

Unfortunately, We were only informed about the platform malfunction a mere minute before the play began. This lack of prior communication meant we were not given the opportunity to make an informed decision about attending the performance without this key feature.

I found it quite unfair that despite the malfunction, the theatre offered no compensation whatsoever. Their justification that the opera was still performed is disingenuous. The moving platform was a significant aspect of the advertised experience, and its absence fundamentally altered the production. Furthermore, it appears the platform issue is not a one-time occurrence. The theatre's website fails to mention this ongoing problem, potentially misleading future patrons.

I urge The English National Opera to Implement a transparent communication system to inform people about any technical malfunctions well in advance of performances and offer appropriate compensation when such significant advertised elements are unavailable.

This experience leaves me feeling disgruntled and frustrated. Until these shortcomings are addressed, I cannot recommend The English National Opera to others seeking a reliable and complete...

I visited twice within close succession. It's a beautiful building with a spacious foyer. Sitting in the dress circle, seats are spaced well and staggered as they go up and back so visibility is fine. Depending on the seat you have, you also have a view of the pit and can see the subtitles well. Sitting on the balcony was an awful experience. In a middle row, it was hard to see above people's heads, made more annoying when the action was taking place on the part of the stage in front of the tall person's wavering head. The seats are less comfortable, and oh my golly gumdrops, I experience a touch of vertigo on the steep steps with no handrail to my place. I wonder if that's what happened to the couple of people that fainted.

As expected, the prices at the kiosk were overpriced. A small Tony's chocolate bar cost £3. Could have pick up a large bar from the supermarket down the road for the same price. Despite having a bar/kiosk on each floor, there was not adequate space to consume purchases.

Lastly, with such an old building, the lack of stairs is usual. The tickets should come with a warning. Several people around me complained about the hike to the top and admittedly, I was a little breathless myself. Would a refurb with a lift...

Unbelievable experience for a very modest price … the venue itself is worth the entry fee alone, let alone the actual opera performance itself.

The stuff are extremely polite, warm and relatable, very helpful in finding your seat or directing you anywhere inside the venue.

The opera that I watched, Blue, was remarkable, from staging, to the live orchestra, and the libretto/singing.

As for the venue itself, The Coliseum, the name speaks for itself; the largest theatre in London, and one of the most beautiful, inside and out. No matter where you sit you will enjoy the experience, and from what I saw, being a regular theatre goer, I didn’t observe any restricted viewing seats, as there are no pillars located inside the seating arrangement anywhere in the theatre.

Another thing that stood out to me was the demeanour of every member of staff; clearly they are handpicked, and trained to a certain level. Besides having impeccable manners, as one would perhaps expect for such a venue, they seemed to be talking in an almost “hushed” tone, which makes one feel very comfortable at the venue.

If you live in London, or just visiting London, definitely visit the ENO; it will be an experience that will be etched in...