General terms and conditions

1.1 These General Terms and Conditions (GTC) and the House Rules apply to the legal relationship between Alte Oper Frankfurt Konzert- und Kongresszentrum GmbH (AOF) and the visitors of the concert/event (visitors) of Alte Oper Frankfurt.

1.2 They are considered as contractually agreed upon acquisition of tickets by direct selling, telephone order or order on the internet via advance sales offices, and at the box office of the Alte Oper Frankfurt. Apart from that, the subscription conditions of the relevant season apply to subscribers.

1.3 If the tickets are bought on site at the box office of Alte Oper Frankfurt or in advance via Frankfurt Ticket RheinMain GmbH (Frankfurt Ticket), their GTC for ticket sale must also be complied with.

2.1 Events of the AOF in the Alte Oper Frankfurt take place as "own events" and events of third parties as "third party events". An imprint on every ticket indicating the identity of the organiser shows whether the event in question is an event of the AOF or a third party event. A full contractual relationship between the visitor and the AOF is only concluded in case of own events.

2.2 In case of "third party events", a contractual relationship is first of all concluded between the customer and the relevant organiser. Therefore, the rights and obligations in view of the event obtained with the purchase of the ticket solely exist within said contractual relationship. This means that any and all claims of the visitors in view of the event, the organisation of the event or in connection with the visit of the event must be directed against the organiser. This includes but is not limited to claims in connection with the cancellation of the event, date or programme modifications, changes of the faults or defects concerning the allocation of seats.

2.3 If tickets are obtained via an advance sales office, a further contractual relationship with the relevant advance sales office is concluded so that possible claims in connection with the cancellation of an event can also be asserted towards this organisation.

2.4 If a sold ticket also entitles the owners to use it as ticket for the local public transport, this constitutes a separate contractual relationship between the customers and the transport company subject to the conditions of the relevant local public transport company.

The applicable repertoires with start times are announced in the monthly programmes published by the AOF on a regular basis, the publications and on the internet. The AOF reserves changes. The AOF will inform the visitors to the best of its knowledge about any cancellation and changes of events or changes of the start times. The AOF does not assume any warranty for the correctness of announcements and publications, in particular if they are made by third parties (e.g. third party organisers or the press).

4.1 In case of own events of the AOF, the whole (advance) ticket sale and the operation of the box office for events in the Alte Oper Frankfurt is effected by Frankfurt Ticket RheinMain GmbH, Hanauer Landstraße 417, 60314 Frankfurt, internet: www.frankfurt-ticket.de, phone: (069) 1340-400. In case of third party events in the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the choice of the ticket distributor is up to the relevant organiser.

4.2 In general, the events announced in publications of the AOF are already available for purchase in advance. Exceptions in this respect are marked with reference to the estimated beginning of the advance ticket sale.

4.3 The opening hours of the advance booking office and the telephone advance sale can be derived from the internet communications of Frankfurt Ticket RheinMain GmbH and the regular publications of the AOF.

4.4 In case of own events, the box office opens one hour prior to the beginning of the show, also for morning/afternoon performances. This does not apply to third party events held in the Alte Oper Frankfurt. In these cases, the organisation of the box office and thus also the decision about the staffing and opening times of the box office are up to the relevant organiser. Only tickets for the relevant upcoming event are sold at the box office. The ticket office closes when the performance starts.

4.5 The AOF reserves the right to limit the number of tickets which will be sold per person and the period of the sale for the emission of reduced tickets and/or in terms of certain distribution channels. The contingents for tickets in free sale can be limited due to obligations of the AOF towards subscribers of contractual partners.

4.6 Frankfurt Ticket is in charge of the handling of ticket orders, telephone or written ticket reservations, online bookings or the acquisition of so-called print@home tickets for own events of the AOF. Details in this connection can be obtained via internet, telephone request or at the advance sales offices. This also applies to special regulations for group orders.

4.7 The resale of tickets at increased prices is not allowed. visitors are generally not allowed to offer / resell tickets in the building and the direct outside area of the Alte Oper.

4.8 The tickets are only valid if the bar code is legible, i.e. not covered, overwritten or defaced in any other way. Print@home tickets which are not clearly legible and therefore not controllable are not accepted. Print@home tickets cannot be exchanged or returned. In case of loss or theft of a print@home ticket, info@frankfurt-ticket.de must be contacted immediately.

4.9 Group bookings are subject to particular regulations which can be enquired under the number 069/1340-400.

For the inclusion of people with reduced mobility, the Alte Oper Frankfurt has 12 wheelchair spaces in the Grosser Saal (Great Hall) and 2 spaces in the Mozart Saal (Mozart Hall) exclusively provided for wheelchair users. Please ask in the booking office or at the box office for the corresponding spaces. If you book online, please note the labelling in the seating plan (Grosser Saal depending on the seating variant, rows 20 and 21 or rows 24 and 25, Mozart Saal: left of the gallery). Because of our evacuation policy, we cannot provide you with any other seat. Thus, we ask you not to take any other seat. Otherwise, we refer back to our house rules (point 3).

6.1 If the event does not take place and is definitely cancelled, the visitor is entitled to the reimbursement of the ticket price paid by the visitor less the advance booking fee and the value added tax applicable to this fee against return of the original tickets. This claim can only be asserted towards the organiser and therefore only towards the AOF in case of own events. In general, the rescission is effected via the relevant ticket office where the ticket was sold. The entitlement to the reimbursement of the ticket price expires if it is not asserted within a period of 14 days after the date of the event at the ticket office where the ticket was acquired unless the relevant advance sales office grants longer return periods.

6.2 If an own event of the AOF is discontinued, a substitute performance is offered if less than half of the performance has taken place at the time of discontinuation or the ticket price is reimbursed if this is not possible due to the repertoire or for other reasons. Any further claims are excluded. In particular, useless expenses of the visitors like travelling costs and costs of overnight stays, etc. cannot be reimbursed.

6.3 If the cast is changed or the course of performance/programme of an own event of the AOF is changed at short notice, the AOF is not obliged to reimburse the ticket price. A reduction of the ticket price is also excluded.

7.1 The applicable ticket prices can be obtained from the publications and postings of the AOF. The final prices consist of the system charge, service charge, advance ticket fee and RMV ticket charge (valid for all RMV lines for one round trip to the Alte Oper Frankfurt). Exceptions are marked accordingly. In case of third party events, different regulations can be made. Special pricing is possible for some individual events (e.g. special events, guest performances). The AOF reserves the right to conduct event-related reduction campaigns on short notice. Such reduction campaigns do not have any retroactive effect on the prices of tickets already sold for this event.

7.2 Reduced box office: Pupils, students and trainees up to the age of 25, volunteers in voluntary service and persons doing voluntary military service, unemployed persons and owners of the Frankfurt-Pass and the Kulturpass Frankfurt may purchase remaining tickets for all correspondingly identified performances of the AOF for a standard price of currently EUR 15.00 with effect from one hour before the performance begins at the box office upon presentation of the relevant ID card. Changes of the unit price are reserved. Pensioners also receive this discount for selected events.

7.3 Subscription card: With the purchase of a regular subscription or selective subscription, the subscription card is acquired. The subscription card entitles its holder to purchase tickets for all of Alte Oper's own events at a 20% discount, subject to availability. The subscription card is not transferable. The discount requires that the customer has a current, non-terminated subscription at the time of the event for which the discount was granted on the basis of the subscription card. If this is not the case, the customer is obliged to pay the difference to the discounted subscription card price.

7.4 Severely disabled persons receive tickets at half price upon presentation of the relevant disability card (at least 80%) in the regular advance ticket sale. If a "B" for Begleitperson (accompanying person) is stated in the disability card, the accompanying person receives the same reduction.
Wheelchair users receive free admission against presentation of a ticket valid for the relevant event.

7.5 At the Alte Oper Frankfurt's own events, pupils, students and trainees up to the age of 25 receive a personal, non-transferable discount of 50% on the ticket price upon presentation of the corresponding ID card (individual concerts may be exempt from this). The corresponding ID (proof of entitlement) must be presented together with the admission ticket on admission without being requested to do so.

7.6 Children under 6 years of age - even when accompanied by a parent or guardian - do not have access to AOF's own events, with the exception of all events of Pegasus (concerts for children, young people and families) and those events expressly designated as children's events.

7.7 A combination of several discounts is not possible.

7.8 Evidence for the requirements for the grant of a reduced ticket price must not only be presented upon purchase or reservation of the ticket but also when visiting the event. The relevant evidence must be presented upon admission to the auditorium together with the ticket. If the presented ID card does not include a photo, a photo ID (e.g. identity card, driver's license) must also be presented.  Otherwise, the visitor must pay a supplement to the normal price or expect to be denied admission to the event without any right to a refund of the ticket price.

7.9 Reductions can be changed by the AOF at any time. Furthermore, the AOF may limit or exclude the emission of reduced tickets for certain events, seat or price groups, etc. There is no entitlement to reductions for premieres, guest performances, special events and for online ticket sales. The reduction does not apply to fees (advance ticket sale and system fee and fee for the utilisation of public transport).

7.10 In accordance with the ticket imprint, the ticket price includes the entitlement to use it as ticket for the local public transport (RMV). The ticket may be used as transport ticket (2nd class) to the venue for a period of 5 hours before the performance. After the event the ticket may be used fort he return journey until the end of operating hours of the local public transport. The use of 1st class is only possible with a surcharge. This also applies to print@home tickets, which must be personalised for use of the RMV public transport system when purchased. It is not relevant if the visitor uses this service. As regards the utilisation of the ticket as transport ticket, there is a separate contractual relationship between the visitors and the transport company subject to the conditions of transport of the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV).

The AOF is also liable for damages for property and pecuniary losses sustained by a Visitor due to a grossly negligent or intentional violation of obligations of the AOF or its staff members or performing agents. The AOF, its staff members and performing agents are liable for personal damages in accordance with the legal regulations - also in case of a violation of obligations due to simple negligence.

9.1 If the AOF receives personal data of visitors, such data are treated confidential according to the applicable data protection provisions. External service providers and contractual partners using personal data of visitors on behalf of the AOF (e.g. within the framework of the ticket sale / advance ticket sale, for the mailing of publications) are also obliged to maintain confidentiality.

9.2 For events taking place at their location, the AOF may create (and allow for the creation of) photographs and image recordings for documentation and PR purposes (print and online segment) and may allow such photographs/recordings to be used and/or broadcast by print/online/television media. The publication of such image recordings of visitors in this context shall also be legally permissible without their consent (section 23 para. 1 no. 3 KunstUrhG).

Litigations arising out of or in connection with attending the event are exclusively governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. Frankfurt am Main is the place of performance for the services of the AOF.

Should individual regulations of these General Terms and Conditions of Contract (GTC) be or become invalid for legal reasons, this shall not affect the legal validity of the remaining provisions. In this case, the invalid provision must be replaced by a legally valid provision coming as close as possible to the regulatory content of the invalid provision.

Upon admission to the building of the AOF and when entering the halls, the admission staff must be presented the valid ticket, the subscription ID or the relevant authorisation for reduced tickets without being asked to do so.

The admission ticket must also be presented to the staff whenever required.

When leaving the building of the AOF, the ticket loses its validity.

For safety reasons and in the interest of the artists and the other visitors, after the beginning of the performance, visitors are admitted or readmitted to the hall (after leaving the hall during the performance) only during the performance break and without any entitlement to the seat number purchased. Only in exceptional cases can visitors be admitted after the beginning of the performance outside any break, e.g. in case of events without break, at a suitable time determined by the artistic direction.

The AOF reserves the right to change seating arrangements on the grounds of short-term production-related building alterations and structures.

In this case,  visitors are entitled to an entry fee reduction only if they are moved to a lower-value seat in the general AOF price category.

Visitors are not permitted to change seats without authorisation to do so. If  they have taken a seat for which they do not hold a valid ticket, the AOF may charge the difference or send the visitors out of the performance.

For security reasons and to prevent danger, visitors are obliged to take different seats from those mentioned in their entry tickets – including seats in different areas – if instructed to do so by the security and admission staff of the AOF or of its service providers.

Visitors with wheelchairs who have not occupied specific spaces provided for them (wheelchair spaces) may be referred to one of the allocated wheelchair spaces by the AOF and its service providers to maintain the evacuation policy and to ensure the complete safety, as far as possible, of all guests. If refused, a bar from the house is possible. In this case, you do not have the right to a refund for the cost of the ticket. Otherwise, we refer to the terms and conditions (point 5).

As a rule, cloakroom items (coats, jackets, or other items of clothing) ought to be handed in at the cloakroom and not brought into the auditoriums. It is prohibited to bring umbrellas as well as bags, rucksacks and any other containers from a size of approx. 40 x 40 x 20 cm upwards into the auditoriums.

When submitting cloakroom items, each person will receive one cloakroom token. The visitor will receive one additional receipt for each additional cloakroom item submitted. Cloakroom items submitted for safekeeping will only be handed back upon the return of the cloakroom token/receipt. However, this is done without further verification of authorisation.

In the event that the cloakroom token or receipts are lost, cloakroom items can only be handed over after all remaining visitors have reclaimed their cloakroom items.

The loss of the cloakroom token must be reported to the cloakroom staff immediately, together with the visitor's name, address and telephone number. In such cases, the visitors are obligated to pay the cloakroom staff a fee of € 2.50 for the lost cloakroom token.

Visitors are required not to leave objects such as passports, credit cards, cash, keys, mobile phones, valuables, jewellery, etc. in their cloakroom items. The offering of the AOF's cloakroom service does not relate to the safekeeping of such objects, but only and exclusively to the cloakroom item itself which was accepted upon the issuance of a cloakroom token/receipt. The visitors bear the responsibility for the loss of or damage to any object left in the cloakroom items. This also expressly applies in the event that such objects are left in cloakroom items such as bags, rucksacks, etc. Any liability on the part of the AOF is excluded in such instance.

For the security of our visitors, security and prevention measures are necessary. We ask our visitors not to bring items of luggage, rucksacks, etc. with them into the Alte Oper Frankfurt. The AOF reserves the right to carry out body searches and bag checks, including those involving the use of technical equipment, for reasons of security, in such a way that bags, containers being carried, and items of clothing such as coats, jackets, cloaks, etc. may have their contents inspected at any time. The security and admission staff of the AOF or of its service providers must be permitted to inspect the containers that are being carried. For as long as a visitor does not allow an appropriate check to be carried out, the security and admission staff of the AOF or of its service providers may refuse the visitor entry to the AOF and refuse to allow him/her to stay there. In this case, the visitors have no claim for reimbursement of the ticket price. Visitors who do not agree to allow the security and admission staff to take possession of items which could result in danger for the event or for visitors and artists etc. will be excluded from the event. Also in this case, the visitors have no claim for reimbursement of the ticket price.

The staff of the AOF or of its service providers may also exercise domestic authority and ask visitors to leave the events or ban them from entering the premises of the AOF or take other measures against limitations and disturbances towards visitors within the framework of the domestic authority.

Visitors can be asked to leave the event if they disturb it, molest other visitors or have violated their obligations under the contractual relationship with the AOF in any other way in consideration of these General Terms and Conditions of Contract.

Visitors can already be denied access to the AOF in case of a reasonable suspect that they will disturb the event or molest other visitors (e.g. obvious alcoholisation, dissemination of extremist, e.g. xenophobic slogans, etc.).

The visitors may solely use the seat specified on their ticket. If they have taken up a seat for which they do not have any valid ticket, the AOF can charge the difference or ask the visitors to leave the performance.

Mobile phones and other devices of any type which emit acoustic or optic signals may only be brought to the event halls if they are switched off.

Furthermore, it is not allowed to bring any objects which, according to the staff, may affect the event or other visitors in a negative way due to their size, equipment or function. This includes but is not limited to weapons of any type, noise instruments, containers with hazardous contents (propellants, etc.), containers made of fragile or splintering material, fireworks, food and beverages.

It is not allowed to bring animals of any type except for guide dogs exercising their function.

The whole building of the AOF is a non-smoking area.

In case of fire or other hazardous situations, the visitors are obliged to immediately leave the house via the next exit, in particular via the identified emergency exits. No cloak room service takes place in this case.

For reasons of copyright, visitors are fundamentally prohibited from making image and sound recordings of performances or other events at the AOF.

Out of consideration for the artists involved and for other visitors, photography and/or filming is not permitted during the event.

In the event of non-compliance, the front-of-house staff is entitled to confiscate the recording devices (cameras, mobile phones etc.) with the exclusion of liability, and to retain these until the conclusion of the event, or to exclude the visitor involved from the event and remove them from the auditorium.

Furthermore, the AOF has the right to confiscate this material and delete any recordings or to ask the visitors to delete the recordings in the presence of the AOF. Recording material which is confiscated by the AOF and not deleted must be handed back to the visitor or sent to him/her after confiscation. The recording material is then to be handed back/posted to the visitors.

This does not affect the potential entitlement to damages on the part of the AOF or the artists involved. If the AOF records, or commissions the recording of, an event, the visitors declare their consent to potentially appear in image and/or sound, and that these recordings may be published/utilised without any entitlement to remuneration.

The loss of objects must be notified to the guards (admission or cloak room staff) immediately.

Lost items are kept by the AOF until expiry of a term of three months and are then forwarded to the competent public lost and found office.