Thanks to a Time Out offer, Proms-style Arena standing tickets for the nine-hour Bach Marathon at the Royal Albert Hall this Easter Monday are reduced from £29 to £10.

The mammoth programme of music and talks, devised by Sir John Eliot Gardiner, runs from 1pm to 10pm.  Here's what's scheduled:

• Motet: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (BWV 225) - Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
• Cello Suite No 6 (BWV 1012)  - Alban Gerhardt, cello
• The Goldberg Variations (BWV 988)  - Joanna MacGregor, piano
• Christ lag in Todesbanden (BWV 4), Cantata for Easter Day - Monteverdi Choir English Baroque Soloists Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor, joined by the audience in the final Chorale (there will be a half hour training session beforehand)
• Partita No 2 in D minor (BWV 1004) - Viktoria Mullova, violin
• Organ Recital - John Butt, organ
• Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) - Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
• Talks throughout the day will include the participating musicians and guest speakers.

I make that the equivalent of four normal concerts - effectively at £2.50 each with the discount. Bargain or what?

Worried about standing for nine hours? Unless there's a last-minute rush for tickets, there should be room to sit on the floor - small cushion/blanket advised. You will also be able to skip sections or leave between pieces - just as well, as there are only two half-hour breaks.

We can only imagine how thrilled Matti Salminen must have been when he learned more than just singing skills were required for his role as Gurnemanz in Cologne Opera's new Parsifal.

Director Carlus Padrissa has deemed that the veteran bass will mix, knead and bake ten loaves of bread during the six-hour show. These will be distributed to the salivating audience at the end.

For anyone who can't wait that long, the opera house is for the first time providing a restaurant service during intermssions.

The enterprising Dutch group Stichting Lustrum Opera are planning a Rheingold with a difference to celebrate Wagner's 200th birthday.

Bringing the opera to the audience,  the 135m barge M.V.S. Oriana has been converted to accommodate a stage, a 90-piece orchestra and a 500-strong audience in its cargo hold. It will sail down the Rhine during in July, mooring at locations from Koblenz to Rotterdam for the shows.

Tickets for the latest revival of ENO's La bohème are 50% off with a new Time Out offer.

This brings the dress circle price down to £41.50 and the front upper circle to £31 - but the best bargain has to be the back two rows of the upper circle at £12.50 (no subtitles visible). You won't get anything cheaper than that.

The main drawback with Time Out offers is that you don't find out which seats have been allocated until you pick up the tickets on the night - and £31+ for anything behind the front couple of rows is not a great bargain.