04 Mar 2021

Where Should I Sit at Abravanel Hall?

by Collette Cook

Congratulations! You’ve decided that you can’t stay away from the symphony any longer and you just have to purchase a ticket. But you are faced with a difficult question: where do you sit?! In our beautiful Abravanel Hall, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house, which makes it easy to choose a seat in some ways and difficult in other ways. You can’t go wrong, but which seat will give you exactly the experience you are looking for? You’re in luck because I’ll guide you through the perks to every seat in the house.

Best acoustics

If you are looking for an epic auditory experience, the best seats for good acoustics in Abravanel Hall are on the 2nd and 3rd tier in the back or on the orchestra level about ¾ of the way back (that is where the ground floor is equal with the stage.) Here, all the unique timbres of the different instruments melt into a beautiful cacophony of music.

Best place to pretend you’re part of the orchestra

If you really want to be part of the action and see the conductor’s sweat, the concertmaster’s expression clearly, or just be immersed in the orchestra action, Orchestra Front is for you. You may need to crane your neck a bit to see the stage, but here you won’t miss a beat. If there is a soloist, you will get the added bonus of being up close and personal as they play.

Also, if you love the idea of being able to read the musician’s music as they play, if you sit in the first tier right next to the stage, it’s almost like you’re in the orchestra yourself!

Most glamorous seats in the hall

Are you going to the symphony for the ‘whole nine yards‘ donor experience? We don’t blame you. It is quite the experience. The First Tier on the right is where a lot of Abravanel Society donors sit and you will get to mix and mingle with them. You have easy access to VIP intermission receptions, bathrooms, and our pre-concert lectures. At certain donor levels, you will even get access to our meet and greet events with guest artists. You can learn more about our donor benefits here.

Even if you’re not a donor, the first and second tiers are great places to sit. You get a great auditory experience and you get a good view of the stage which is great if you’re there for a film in concert.

An introvert’s paradise

Getting a seat in the Third Tier is a whole different world—almost like you are a fly on the wall of the performance. The acoustics are great, you can watch people throughout the entire hall, and you have a global view of the stage. It is also darker on the Third Tier, so you can just lean back, close your eyes, and let the music wash over you. The seats on the sides are all in their own row which makes for an individual experience, it’s almost as if the orchestra were playing just for you.

My personal favorite section is the First or Second Tier toward the front. As an audience member, you’re on full display, so this is the place to sit if you’ve dressed up and look the part! Additionally, you get a great view of the stage and can sometimes even see the musicians’ scores. If there is a soloist, particularly a pianist, try for the left tiers; from there you have the perfect view to watch their fiery fingers do their magic. Whenever you attend the symphony, you’ll find me Stage Left, First Tier, near the front.