Definitely go for the second row. I was in the first row after the renovations and the lighting equipment blocked a lot of my view. I've since moved my subscription seat to the second row and it's perfect.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad