Fed up with people making noise at classical shows


Last night I heard Vladimir Feltsman perform Chopin's Ballades at the Perelman Theater in Philadelphia's Kimmel Center. My excitement was building as my favorite part of the first Ballade approached. Immediately before the key was struck, someone sneezed. It was at that moment that I asked myself, "What the hell am I doing here? I have this at home, recorded by three different pianists." Throughout the performance were the sounds of coughing, sneezing moving in one's seat, dropping of programs, and talking.

I know this is the chance you take when attending live classical concerts and I LOVE hearing live music, but frankly I'm sick of it. I'm sick of paying money for traveling and the ticket itself just to be annoyed for two hours. Last Tuesday night a ringing cell phone disrupted a performance by the New York Philharmonic to the point where the conductor actually stopped the orchestra half way through Mahler's Ninth and addressed the moron who wouldn't shut it off.

Once, DURING A PERFORMANCE, someone got out of their seat, walked up to the stage and began "conducting the orchestra" with an imaginary baton.

As I said, I love attending live music, but when things like this happen, I'm ready to just stay home and save myself the aggravation.

Sorry, just had to vent.
devilboy
"My original complaint was, if you can't be silent at a concert, stay the hell home and don't ruin it for the others who paid."

I feel your pain, and I am with you on this.
Many years ago at the University of Chicago, a keyboard player (Ralph Kirkpatrick?) was giving a recital on the clavichord, an extremely quiet and delicate instrument more suitable for a small room than for any kind of concert hall.  Streets for blocks around were cordoned off to reduce the incoming noise.  The audience was dutifully quiet.  Then, in the middle of a piece of music--someone's electronic watch alarm announced the arrival of the top of the hour.  It's a tough row to hoe.
Perhaps its a function of where you live. In the last year I’ve been to over
30 concerts at the 1100 seat Ordway Concert Hall in St Paul which may well have the best acoustics in the USA ,and is the home of the wonderful St. Paul Chamber Orchestra .

I have yet to hear a single cough, program rustle etc in all that time.
Several foreign conductors and groups have said on stage the Twin Cities are
their favorite venue in the US because the audiences are so attentive
and polite . And they were not saying it just to be saying it .
I heard the term " Minnesota Nice " before I moved here and its not just a catchy phrase.
Hello again Schube.  You have a good point.
Maybe because this is Philly and here on the east coast, we're a little less polite than other areas of the country. (actually, a lot less).
You either love it or hate it. 
Btw, I find it very hard to believe that in 30 concerts you've heard no noise from the audience.  I couldn't go 30 minutes without hearing something.