Opera and ballet, St Petersburg and Moscow

We are interested in seeing opera and perhaps ballet in both cities.
1.Booking: I have found a site - www.OperaAndBallet.com - has anyone used this service?
2. Which Swan Lake in St Petersburg: while we are there, we can see Swan Lake at either the Russian Classical Ballet Palace theatre or at the Russian Classical Ballet Palace theatre. Can anyone advise of standards of performance at either place?
3. Helikon theatre in Moscow: In Moscow we are already booked to see the Bolshoi opera (Boris Godunov) but are also thinking of booking at the Helikon to see an opera. Can anyone advise of standards of performance at the Helikon?

I have been to the Helikon for light opera and it was quite good.

I have never used operaandballet.com but both the Bolshoi theater in Moscow and the Mariinsky in Petersburg have websites from which you can book directly online and pick up the tickets at the box office. It would make some sense to me to cut out the middleman whenever possible.

In question #2 you have listed the same place twice so I am not sure what is the second venue to which you want to compare the Russian Classical Ballet Palace theatre.

Ruth

Thanks Ruth for the response and also picking up my inept pasting of name - 2nd place should have read "Ballet theatre of St. Petersburg Conservatoire". Both it and Russian Classical Ballet Palace Theatre have competing performances of Swan Lake while we are there, at quite different prices! Have you (or anyone else seeing this) been to either; can anyone give a recommendation of one over the other?

Try finding out information about the two locations. I am not familiar with either.

Ruth

I used Palladium travel in Petersb. for tickets to the Mariinsky and they were very honest and helpful - as they are in all things to do with Moscow and Petersb. I am sure they can secure tickets for anything. Don't worry too much about the middleman - prices are not high (cf w/the major Western venues) and most perfs are so good that you will not mind whatever sum you paid - esp. the Mariinsky.

Thanks - I appreciate the responses and info, still hoping some one has comments about the respective merits of performances at Ballet theatre of St. Petersburg Conservatoire and Russian Classical Ballet Palace Theatre - both doing Swan Lake.

I have just logged back on to the booking site again - and they now have performances at the Mariinsky, so this changes the plan - will book for that!

The Mariinsky Theater is supperior in venue and ballet company to the Conservatory or St Petersburg Classical Ballet but it is also much more expensive. If you are a ballet fan, you will kick youself if you DON'T visit what ballet dancers and fans regard as the La Scala of Dance. The venue is worth the price if for no other reason than the atmosphere. The other theaters, and at least 6 others which stage ballet, are not bad, their only fault is not being Mariinsky nor having the St Petersburg Ballet Company(formerly the Kirov) in residence.
Get tickets directly from Mariinsky instead of a 3rd party. The agents list prices and performances before they have any way of knowing which is being staged that night or which pricing grade is being used that night. The Mariinsky site has the only official and reasonably accurate schedule, but they are not posted further out than 6 weeks in advance. Here in Russia, no featured guest artist or ballet is for sure that which was promoted until you are sitting in the seat and looking at the stage to see who is there. Schedules change without notice frequently.

www.OperaAndBallet.com worked well for us, delivered tickets and seats were good, no problems. In Moscow a slight hitch with the hotel - they woudl not take delivery unle we were there, but the office cooperated - excpet their 24 hour English service does not work before 11 AM!!! Ballet was good - great standard of dancing, sets were of 1960's vintage.