How to see world-class opera for £11

I’ve always been happy to splash out on attending all sorts of events – £80 on tickets for run-of-the-mill Premiership football matches; £120 for the ghastly experience of watching rugby in Twickenham’s concrete jungle; £60 to attend a concert by ancient rockers who’ve seen better days. As an English teacher, I’m also an avid theatre-goer – despite the fact that the last time I went to the theatre, to see a woke version of Henry V full of gratuitous swearing and cheap jibes at Brexit, it cost £55 for a restricted view.  

But I’d always avoided opera, put off by its somewhat elitist image. And I’m not the only one – a survey for Classic FM revealed that many of us have never considered going, dismissing it as ‘too posh’ or too expensive.

Now, though, I’ve seen the light. I’ve learned that opera is better value than most other cultural and sporting activities – and much more of a spectacle.