A Night at the Royal Opera House in 1989

A lady friend had been given a ticket to a special performance of Ondine at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1989. The evening was arranged to celebrate the life and work of Sir Frederick Ashton the famous choreographer who had died the previous October. She asked me if I would like to partner her for the evening, but was unable to obtain a ticket for me. Nevertheless I managed to buy a promenader's ticket for five pounds. She took her seat in the stalls as I took my place standing at the back. We agreed to meet in the bar during the first interval, after which we returned to our allotted positions. As I was taking my place at the back of the stalls in readiness for the second Act, a young lady, previously unknown to me, came up and offered me a seat next to her in the stalls, explaining that her companion had suddenly been taken ill. I naturally agreed and followed her down the aisle. To my amazement, her companion's seat was immediately next to that of my friend who had initially asked me to accompany her for the evening. The theatre was completely full to capacity that night, with every ticket sold. The Opera House seats about 2,250, so the odds against this happening must be very long indeed. My friend was so spooked by the coincidence that she still refuses to discuss it more than 20 years later.