Current Rush Offers
Here you'll be able to find more information on the Rush Tickets currently available.

Senior Rush Tickets: THE BASICS

• Cash only – no credit cards or checks.
  
• Seniors are 65 years or older. Valid I.D. required.
  
• All parties must be present when buying tickets.
  
• Tickets limited to one (1) per valid I.D.
  
• The Box Office determines the location of all Rush Tickets.
  
• All Rush Tickets sold at the discretion of the Box Office.
  
• Senior Rush Tickets are available for selected performances and sold on a limited basis.
  
• Rush Tickets go on sale 90 minutes prior to the published performance time.

Student Rush Tickets: THE BASICS

• Cash only – no credit cards or checks.
  
• Available to High School / College / University students. Each student must present proof of current, full-time enrollment.
  
• All parties must be present when buying tickets.
  
• Tickets limited to one (1) per valid I.D.
  
• The Box Office determines the location of all Rush Tickets.
  
• All Rush Tickets sold at the discretion of the Box Office.
  
• Student Rush Tickets are available for selected performances and sold on a limited basis.
  
• Rush Tickets go on sale 90 minutes prior to the published performance time.
• NEW! Join Opera U and receive special rush offers to select performances.

History of Rush Tickets at LAO

Student and Senior Rush Tickets is a way for Los Angeles Opera to offer inexpensive tickets just before curtain to people on a limited income. Whenever a performance looks like it's not going to sell out, the Company releases a limited number of seats throughout the house for sale at a flat $20 per ticket 90 minutes before curtain. The number of tickets released varies based on availability for that Performance.

The decision whether to sell Rush Tickets or not is made the morning of the performance or, in the case of weekend performances, on the Friday prior. Students and Seniors interested in Rush Tickets can call the Audience Services Department at (213) 972-8001 in advance to find out whether or not Rush Tickets will be on sale.

In the -2005 Season Los Angeles Opera sold Rush tickets at 33 of the 66 performances, and the number of Rush tickets sold was generally between 45 and 85 per performance. Sometimes more and sometimes fewer, but that is a general range.

Tips on Rush Tickets

• Call ahead. Check in with Audience Services at (213) 972-8001 to see if Rush will be available.
  
• Come early. When a limited number of seats are released, you have a better chance of getting in if you come early. Plus, parking is easier; you can leisurely grab a sandwich on the Plaza; and you can attend the pre-performance lecture one hour prior to curtain.
  
• Avoid matinees. The matinee subscription series is our most heavily sold package, and many of the matinees sell out. It’s a rare occurrence when we offer Student / Senior Rush for matinees, but you can always check in with Audience Services to be certain.
  
• Avoid Rush Tickets for blockbuster operas. The big name operas almost always sell out. Titles like Tosca, Parsifal, The Marriage of Figaro, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, etc. are extremely popular, and frequently there are no seats left for Rush sales.
  
• Avoid missing your favorite opera by buying ahead with tickets starting at just $30.

Los Angeles Opera's Rush Policy

Los Angeles Opera's goal is to make it as easy as possible for students and Seniors to know in advance how many seats will be available and when. This is in response to many people's past disappointment at standing in line and not knowing whether they would be able to get a Rush Ticket.

The Company not only announces IF Rush Tickets will be available for a given performance but also HOW MANY seats will be available at the Rush price for a given performance.

The Audience Services staff is notified on the morning of the performance or on the preceding Friday for weekend performances. A sign is also posted in the far-left Box Office window with that performance’s Rush Ticket total quantity two hours prior to curtain. Often an usher will assist by counting off people waiting in line, so that everyone knows in advance whether they’ll be able to purchase at the Rush price or not.

This system helps take the guessing game out of Rush Tickets, and if only 20 seats are going to be released for a certain performance and more than 20 are already in line, you’ll know whether to stay in line or not.