Deryk Barker (and others) suggested that it is normally difficult to get in
to the first night of the proms.  It's true, as Deryck said, that you used
only to be able to get in to the first and last nights in a ballot.  This
is still true of the last night.  (And the party-goers wearing funny
clothes are still there on the last night.)

But the first night is no longer such a big deal.  You certainly don't need
to enter a ballot to get in, and if you queue from about 6.00 you probably
have a fighting chance of getting an arena place.  It's not a seat -- you
have to stand, it's pretty sweaty and you probably won't be able to see.
At home with a Pimm's is a much better bet if you're not sure about
Tippett, especially if it's still as hot as it is today.

These days, the arena audience seems to consist predominantly of people
who have decided to go to a particular concert, either for the work or for
the performers, rather than of people who have come to a prom.  You'll
probably find it much more difficult to get a prom ticket on Saturday,
because people will be able to join the queue earlier at the weekend, and
because it's Bartoli.

A brief introduction, by the way.  I've been lurking on MCML for well over
a year now, and will probably continue to lurk.  I find the discussions
very interesting and informative, but I don't have the skill of discussing
individual performances, partly because I'm not at all familiar with a lot
of the standard repertoire.  I'm mainly interested in opera, particulary
baroque and earlier, in vocal music generally, and in contemporary and new
music of most kinds.  My other bad habit is German expressionism in all
forms, and its context, especially music and movies.

Regards,

Helen Elsom
[log in to unmask]
http://www.helsom.demon.co.uk/