Actually in some places the balcony is the best place to sit for the sound.
I remember in Powell Hall in St. Louis the sound was great (or at least
as good as it got) in the balcony and terrible (no blend) on the orchestra
floor.  The front-row seats that we had for the Gurrelieder in Houston's
Jones hall were sonically subperb although I wasn't overly thrilled with
the endless view of feet.

Aaron J. Rabushka
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