# What would you wear to an opera?



## mliemon2 (Aug 8, 2007)

So I'm going to my first opera this weekend and I'm not to sure what to wear. Its not opening night, so tux is out of the question.. Just so you know its at 7:30.. I have box seats..and its Don Giovanni..But what would you guys wear?


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## huysmans (Nov 5, 2007)

I am interested to hear what people have to say. I recently went to Carnegie Hall to see The Kronos Quartet, certainly more informal than an opera, but I was shocked to see how casual it was. I wore a 3-piece suit and might have been one of ten in the whole place with a tie on! I felt a bit self conscious at first, but I looked good and my attire was clearly not over the top - that is all that matters, right?


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

Dark suit. White point collar shirt. Rep tie. White square. Black cap toes. Dark overcoat. Flask in pocket.

Scott


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## mpcsb (Jan 1, 2005)

Naval Gent said:


> Dark suit. White point collar shirt. Rep tie. White square. Black cap toes. Dark overcoat. Flask in pocket.
> 
> Scott


Hey, that's me when I go to the Lyric in Chicago! I can't agree with you recommendation more.


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## jackmccullough (May 10, 2006)

Naval Gent said:


> Dark suit. White point collar shirt. Rep tie. White square. Black cap toes. Dark overcoat. Flask in pocket.
> 
> Scott


It's opera. Remember the guys in the Bud Light commercial, and consider cans.


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## vwguy (Jul 23, 2004)

jackmccullough said:


> It's opera. Remember the guys in the Bud Light commercial, and consider cans.


I was thinking the same thing  "First time at the Opera boys?"

Brian


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

When did "black tie only on opening night" become a rule?

If my tickets are for a weeknight I normally wear a dark suit to work that day and am off to the opera in same, but if I have weekend-evening tix then I go black tie, opening night or no. 

Certainly I've seen substantial numbers of other men dressed in black tie at KC weekend-evening performances--not a majority, to be sure, but a decent number--so I don't think I'm totally eccentric in this.

While a dark suit is certainly acceptable and indeed will probably have you better turned out than most, I would see no reason not to break out the tux either.


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## Palmer_Woodrow (May 24, 2007)

I think what you wear depends also on where you are going to the opera. Baltimore? DC? or Annapolis? If it is Annapolis, which is historically quite casual, then I would not be surprised to see quite a few men not even wearing neckties. If you are in Baltimore at the Lyric, then a suit would be appropriate.


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## mliemon2 (Aug 8, 2007)

Palmer_Woodrow said:


> I think what you wear depends also on where you are going to the opera. Baltimore? DC? or Annapolis? If it is Annapolis, which is historically quite casual, then I would not be surprised to see quite a few men not even wearing neckties. If you are in Baltimore at the Lyric, then a suit would be appropriate.


Its at the Kennedy Center in DC


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## I_Should_Be_Working (Jun 23, 2005)

Dark suit, white shirt, dark tie, and a viking helmet, of course.


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## mliemon2 (Aug 8, 2007)

PJC in NoVa said:


> When did "black tie only on opening night" become a rule?
> 
> If my tickets are for a weeknight I normally wear a dark suit to work that day and am off to the opera in same, but if I have weekend-evening tix then I go black tie, opening night or no.
> 
> ...


I origionally was going to wear a tux however the owner of the box said not to because a tux is typically saved for opening night...and because he owns the box......no tux


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## tabasco (Jul 17, 2006)

3 operas at Lincoln Center last week: 2 at the Met, one Rose Theater. I wore a suit & tie to the Met, OCBD & sportcoat to Rose Theater: I felt fine. Mostly men wore coats & ties, whether a suit or not I didn't notice. I saw no dinner jackets, no capes. 

If you are younger than 40, that will be the most noticeable thing about your appearance !

-fan


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

mpcsb said:


> Hey, that's me when I go to the Lyric in Chicago! I can't agree with you recommendation more.


This is what I wear, too.


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

mliemon2 said:


> I origionally was going to wear a tux however the owner of the box said not to because a tux is typically saved for opening night...and because he owns the box......no tux


So the box owner banned one specific type of dress but didn't indicate what is expected or acceptable?


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## mliemon2 (Aug 8, 2007)

PJC in NoVa said:


> So the box owner banned one specific type of dress but didn't indicate what is expected or acceptable?


Ya, who knows...I guess he just didnt want to be out done....I hope he dosent notice or take offense to my flask i'm brining


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## jeph (Feb 16, 2006)

Navy suit, white shirt and tie.

jeph


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## Prepdad (Mar 10, 2005)

Around here it's usually black tie on opening night for those-who-know. Other nights it's just as Naval Gent suggested. (Except I would add earplugs---> not my favourite opera).

Does any city still do white tie for the opera? Doesn't/didn't San Francisco or am I dreaming that up? I know NYC did many years ago.


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## csheehan (Feb 27, 2004)

PJC in NoVa said:


> When did "black tie only on opening night" become a rule?
> 
> If my tickets are for a weeknight I normally wear a dark suit to work that day and am off to the opera in same, but if I have weekend-evening tix then I go black tie, opening night or no.


+1 for me. Dark suit for the COC subscription on Thursday. Black tie for Opera Atelier Saturday night.


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## kforton (Oct 26, 2005)

Naval Gent said:


> Dark suit. White point collar shirt. Rep tie. White square. Black cap toes. Dark overcoat. Flask in pocket.
> 
> Scott


This sounds good, but you should feel free to wear a tie with a pattern of some kind. Perhaps paisleys?


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## jackmccullough (May 10, 2006)

Prepdad said:


> (Except I would add earplugs---> not my favourite opera).


Thanks. I restrained myself from making almost that exact comment. I might wear my tux, except that I'd have to figure out if it would work with the earplugs I would insist on wearing, and the handcuffs and shackles my wife would need to use to get me there.

Regardless of what opera it is.


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## Naval Gent (May 12, 2007)

kforton said:


> This sounds good, but you should feel free to wear a tie with a pattern of some kind. Perhaps paisleys?


Yep, I was thinking of Rep, as in a stripe.



jackmccullough said:


> Thanks. I restrained myself from making almost that exact comment. I might wear my tux, except that I'd have to figure out if it would work with the earplugs I would insist on wearing, and the handcuffs and shackles my wife would need to use to get me there.
> 
> Regardless of what opera it is.


Years ago, before children, Naval Wife and I bought a year's subscription to our little local opera. For each one there were only two performances, one on Friday evening, and a Sunday matinee. What I remember most was struggling to remain awake on Friday evenings after a full work week. That's when I realized, maybe I wasn't crazy about opera. (Perhaps the flask should have been a thermos of coffee).

The symphony is better - they have those Christmas (er, Holiday) concerts and plenty of "Pops" performances.

Scott


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Naval Gent said:


> Dark suit. White point collar shirt. Rep tie. White square. Black cap toes. Dark overcoat. Flask in pocket.
> 
> Scott


Agree...put an extra flask in your back pocket. I like operas...two intermissions a lot of the time. It's kind of like going to a fancy hockey game, but with better liquor.:icon_smile_big:


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## tabasco (Jul 17, 2006)

*opera Be Prepared:*

If you aren't familiar with the work, or the composer, it REALLY helps to get a CD and listen again and again. Then you'll know when the good parts come, and when to wake up.

It's the only way I could survive Wagner.

BTW, Mozart's Don Giovanni is pretty good music.

-boy scout


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## Hayek (Jun 20, 2006)

Top hat, tails on your jacket, monocle, and cane.


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## Untilted (Mar 30, 2006)

velvet jacket.


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## anglophile23 (Jan 25, 2007)

huysmans said:


> I am interested to hear what people have to say. I recently went to Carnegie Hall to see The Kronos Quartet, certainly more informal than an opera, but I was shocked to see how casual it was. I wore a 3-piece suit and might have been one of ten in the whole place with a tie on! I felt a bit self conscious at first, but I looked good and my attire was clearly not over the top - that is all that matters, right?


The Kronos Quartet are coming here next year.

At the opera, I've seen everthing from black tie to t-shirts. I would suggest either black tie or a suit.


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## Palmer_Woodrow (May 24, 2007)

Hayek said:


> Top hat, tails on your jacket, monocle, and cane.


This would be for the opera, not the Mr. Peanut look-a-like contest. :icon_smile_big:


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## Palmer_Woodrow (May 24, 2007)

mliemon2 said:


> So I'm going to my first opera this weekend and I'm not to sure what to wear. Its not opening night, so tux is out of the question.. Just so you know its at 7:30.. I have box seats..and its Don Giovanni..But what would you guys wear?


I am curious, what did you find to be the norm there at the Kenedy Center in DC?


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## MarcDavidMiller (Mar 1, 2005)

*Suit*



Palmer_Woodrow said:


> I am curious, what did you find to be the norm there at the Kenedy Center in DC?


You can't go wrong in a nice, low-key suit (or even the velvet jacket suggested by another poster).

Even though I truly enjoy wearing black tie, I would feel pretentious to wear it to the opera in NY or DC unless there was a banquet along with the performance.

I would, however, wear my cape if the weather allowed!


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## dopey (Jan 17, 2005)

I was at the New York State Theatre last night for the City Opera's production of _Cendrillon_. Nearly a third of the men in the Orchestra section wore tuxes and at least three quarters were in suits. From what I could tell, most of them were there for a benefit dinner on the promenade level after the performance (it was a benefit for the Opera) and that probably skewed the numbers towards the more formal. I was in the first tier, center, and most of the men around me were in coat and tie, though not suits, with none in black tie.


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