Buying Tickets to concerts, theatre, Teatro Colon

There is a place called "Cartelera" on Lavalle 800 block, where you can buy tickets or vouchers for tickets for a wide variety of events, including opera, ballet, and symphony at Teatro Colón.

Look for a passageway / mini mall called "Paseo Lavalle". It's across the street, I think, from the big movie theater. Anyway, walk back into Paseo Lavalle and look for "Cartelera". You can buy all sorts of tickets to concerts, etc. There.

I bought tickets there to the ballet at Teatro Colón, and they gave me a voucher which I turned in at Teatro Colón the night of the performance. I got to the Colón a half-hour early, but 15 minutes early would have worked, too.

Tango

Teatro Colon's ticket sales area now has separate lines for Argentine citizens and foreigners, with foreigners now required to pay double the price an Argentine would pay for the same ticket. Argentine flags are mounted on the "insider / low price" lines and a guard sorts out who gets to stand in line for which ticket window.

Yick. This is not a good sign for life in BA being pleasant for foreigners. Of course Disney "discounts" tickets sold to locals in the USA, but at least this is done more subtlely.

I wonder if there is any effort to control entry into the teatre by foreigner's holding an Argentine purchased (regular priced) ticket? Hard to imagine they would go to that length all the time, but it would be a big hole in their system otherwise. But who wants to go to the theatre not knowing if you are going to get in? Anyone know how this is working out?

[blue]Hi Hobby Fan,

I believe there's a big distinction between Disney offering a [u]discount[/u] off their standard admission price to Florida residents (regardless of national origin) and Teatro Colon [u]doubling[/u] their standard admission price for all foreign nationals.

Nevertheless, this distinction is lost on any Argentinos to whom I argue against the Teatro Colon policy.

Thanks,

Jackson[/blue]

Thanks, Guys! This is very timely, as I was planning to take in a concert on my upcoming trip in May. You saved me from a rude awakening.

BAL

[QUOTE=Jackson]I believe there's a big distinction between Disney offering a [u]discount[/u] off their standard admission price to Florida residents (regardless of national origin) and Teatro Colon [u]doubling[/u] their standard admission price for all foreign nationals.[/QUOTE]I don't really see the difference between reducing an artificially high price for residents or increasing an artificially low price for non-residents. Its price discrimination any way you cut it.

I have never entered Teatro Colon, but I highly doubt that one has to be an Argentine citizen to pay the standard price. You probably have to be just a legal resident (regardless of national origin), evidenced by a DNI. Every time Ive personally experienced price/other "discrimination" here (airline fares, national park entrances), only residence, not citizenship, was required for the "local" price/treatment. Such is the case when opening bank accounts, signing contracts, etc. Even when entering the country at Ezeiza customs, you can use the "Argentine" line if you're a legal resident with DNI.

I would bet that the vast majority of residents visiting Teatro Colon live in Buenos Aires anyway. Sounds fair and square to me.

Moore's perspective is interesting. I see the economic argument and had seen it in advance. But in this particular case, to say that the regular price is 'artificially low' may mean buying into the notion that the current Peso exchange (more or less market determined) is artificial and that the old exchange (much more strongly dictated by government) was more 'real.' Jackson? Dickhead? Any opinions?

On the practical issue, someone with a DNI should try to buy tickets. Lets find out. If someone who has a DNI wants a dose of culture, I will pop for 2 tix next week. Lets see if they sell to foreigner with DNI, and then lets see if they then admit me (no DNI) with one of the tickets. PM me if interested.

[QUOTE=Hobby Fan]Moore's perspective is interesting. I see the economic argument and had seen it in advance. But in this particular case, to say that the regular price is 'artificially low' may mean buying into the notion that the current Peso exchange (more or less market determined) is artificial and that the old exchange (much more strongly dictated by government) was more 'real.' Jackson? Dickhead? Any opinions?

On the practical issue, someone with a DNI should try to buy tickets. Lets find out. If someone who has a DNI wants a dose of culture, I will pop for 2 tix next week. Lets see if they sell to foreigner with DNI, and then lets see if they then admit me (no DNI) with one of the tickets. PM me if interested.[/QUOTE]I dont see how anything could be more artificial than the previous 1:1 peso:dollar peg, except maybe the current ban on beef exports;). It was by definition artificial. I think the issue is simple supply and demand - most foreign tourists have MUCH more money than locals and can and will pay more. I pay more than senior citizens and students at many USA movie theaters because I probably have more purchasing power and the theater charges accordingly.

I don't know shit about Theater, but if you compare the price of an event in Teatro Colon to a similar event in Europe or USA, I would bet that the standard price is extremely low (local customers/performers probably earn 10% of their US/Euro counterparts). I have heard that Colon is a very respected venue, so compare like with like (Colon to a good place in Paris, London, NYC). I would wager that even the doubled price is much cheaper at Colon.

I estimate that the vast majority of visitors to Disney are tourists, whereas the majority visitors to Colon are locals. Thus the majority pay the "standard" price at both places and the locals pay the lower price at both places. It seems more practical for Colon to charge a 100% premium to tourists (minority) than doubling the standard price and giving 50% discount to locals (majority).

I did go to an all-nude play in some shitty theater around San Telmo once. 8 pesos if I recall. I went because a hot young chica from my office was one of the cast. I liked the play, but my date was slightly surprised.