Things seem to have settled down post pandemic.  The subscription model hasn’t disappeared but it accounts for far fewer ticket sales than it used to (not just a COC problem).  Subscriptions are still an option but “day of” rush sales (in person or on-line) are still the best bargain of all.  And so to details…

*** Updated to reflect 2025/26 subscription prices***

Basically, for the COC ticket aggregators like TOTix are useless.  Your options for saving money are a full or partial subscription, the frequent discount deals the COC announces or “rush” tickets.

The first thing you need to think about is where you want to sit and how much you want to spend.  It’s a good idea to have this worked out before you go to the box office.  Nobody wants to stand in line behind someone taking thirty minutes to maker their mind up.  So, a word on the Four Seasons Centre which is the home of the Canadian Opera Company, to help you make that choice.  It’s a gorgeous theatre and really there are no bad seats.  It’s not a huge house either at 2100 seats so even the cheapest seats are much closer to the stage than in huge theatres like the Metropolitan Opera or the Coliseum in London.

The layout is a typical opera house horseshoe so there are seats in rows at Orchestra level and then a series of horseshoes or Rings that wrap around the Orchestra seats at ever higher levels.  The acoustics, good everywhere, are probably best in the Rings and not so good very close to the orchestra pit or under the overhang at the back of the Orchestra Ring and Ring 2.  Site lines are good from everywhere except maybe the extreme ends of the Rings and one can’t see the surtitles from the very back of the Orchestra Ring.  The big issue that determines price is really the view.  The prime real estate is Ring 2 where single seats sell for around $350 rack rate dropping to $50 or so for half way back in Ring 5.  Ring 5 is a relatively long way from the stage but nowhere near as far away as in a bigger house.  The sound is great but opera glasses or binoculars are strongly recommended.

So, the listed single ticket price ranges from $50 to around $350 but there’s really no reason to pay that.  Here are some strategies for paying much, much less.

The best strategy is to be under 30!  If you are you can buy tickets in section 5B for $22.  For $35 you get a guarantee of a seat in 5B and a day of performance upgrade to best available.  This is a really good deal.  Alternatively, under 30s get about an additional 10% off subscription prices (see below).

Well most of us aren’t under 30 so what then?  If you intend to see more than three productions in a season (there are six productions per year) a subscription is a decent option.  It’s not the absolutely cheapest route but the savings are pretty good.  There are two basic options.  There are season subscriptions which save up to about 30% (the more expensive the seats the smaller the discount) compared to single ticket prices plus you can pick your dates and you get the best seats in each section.  Season subscriptions for all six productions run from $202 in Ring 5 Middle to $1120 for orchestra premium.  I didn’t see a Grand Ring option for 2025/26.  All subscriptions now seem to be for a particular evening or matinee.  There are also deals for three or four performance packages which might work for some people though they are more expensive on a per performance basis; see below: In almost all cases tickets are somewhat cheaper if you are over 65 or under 30 and a lot cheaper for under 15s.

So, you don’t want to commit to tickets a year in advance or you only go to the occasional show or you really want the cheapest possible deal, what then?  There are usually offers on if you keep your eyes open or subscribe to the COC’s eOpera newsletter. It’s also good to know a subscriber or two.  Season subscribers can get extra tickets at the premium subscription price.  Previous year offers have varied but there’s always something.

Standing room places

The really cheap route though, as with opera houses around the world, is the “day of” route.  Unsold seats have no value so they have strategies to shift them.  Generally unsold seats are put on sale at half price, box office only, at 11am on the day of performance (now also available on-line after 4pm).  They usually also release blocks of very cheap seats at the same time.  There is every chance of securing a seat for $35 or so though it likely won’t be a terrific seat.  There are also 60 standing room places; mostly at the back of Ring 4 but some at the back of Ring 3.  These sell for a princely $15.  The view from the Ring 3 ones is excellent but they tend to sell out really fast.  They do make you sign a declaration that you won’t take an empty seat even if one is available.

So, bottom line, attending COC performances doesn’t have to be expensive.  If you don’t mind standing or sitting in the nosebleeds it can be cheaper than a ticket for a Met HD broadcast and the product is vastly superior.

All information here updated to reflect the announced 2025/26 season.