Spend an evening at the opera, ballet or theatre

Spending an evening at the opera, ballet or theater means taking a seat in a hall where the city dresses up and the lights go down: Verdi in a Roman arena, a ballet under a painted ceiling, a musical on Broadway, kabuki in Tokyo. It shows you how a city spends its evenings, and it's often far cheaper than people think.

Where to do it

Vienna State Opera, Austria

One of the world's great opera houses, performing almost every night of its season. Standing-room places go on sale from 10 a.m. on the day, online or at the box office, at a small fraction of a seat, with more sold shortly before curtain-up. In Austria, you'll stand among students and regulars who know every note.

Arena di Verona, Italy

Every summer, opera fills a Roman amphitheater with thousands of people on stone steps under the stars. Bring a cushion if you sit on the steps. Italy also has La Scala in Milan, whose season opens every year on 7 December.

Palais Garnier, Paris, France

The gilded opera house where The Phantom of the Opera is set, now home mostly to the Paris Opera Ballet. Even if you can't get tickets, a daytime visit shows the grand staircase and Chagall's ceiling. In France, cheap upper seats with a partial view sell fast.

West End, London, United Kingdom

Dozens of theaters around Covent Garden and Shaftesbury Avenue, from musicals to new plays. The official TKTS booth in Leicester Square sells same-day tickets at a discount, and many shows run day seats or lotteries. Matinees in the United Kingdom's capital are often easier to get than evenings.

Broadway, New York, United States

The theater district around Times Square, with the TKTS booth for same-day discounts and digital lotteries and rush tickets for many shows. Book the hits well ahead. Off-Broadway houses nearby are smaller and cheaper, and just as much a New York night in the United States.

Sydney Opera House, Australia

The famous sails hold several halls, with opera, ballet, theater and concerts most nights. A performance gets you inside; tours run by day. In Australia, arrive early for a drink on the forecourt as the harbor lights come on.

Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A grand horseshoe-shaped opera house famous for its acoustics, with opera, ballet and concerts in the season. Guided tours run most days. In Argentina a seat high in the upper galleries is cheap and the sound is still superb.

Kabuki-za, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo's home of kabuki, the stylized theater of elaborate costumes and makeup. You don't need to sit through a whole program: single-act tickets are sold at the theater on the day, and English audio guides or subtitles help. Nothing else in Japan looks quite like it.

How to make it happen

• Look for cheap ways in: standing room, day seats, rush tickets, lotteries and same-day booths. Students and under-30s often get discounts.
• Choose something you can follow. Ballet and musicals need no language; most opera houses show surtitles, often in English. Read the plot before you go.
• Don't worry about the dress code. Smart-casual is fine almost everywhere except at gala and opening nights.
• Arrive early. Latecomers usually wait outside until a break, and the building itself is worth exploring.
• Check the season. Many companies pause in summer, while summer festivals take over, like Verona's, the ancient theater at Epidaurus in Greece, or the Edinburgh Fringe on our big festival line.

A night at a famous house can also count as standing at a famous landmark.