O sole mio!

May 12, 2006 11:19 AM

I'm going to my first opera tomorrow night. It's Don Giovanni here in Portland. It's opening night. We have cheap seats, I think. I'm moderately overweight, and so cannot fit into my truly nice clothes (which aren't even really that nice to begin with). What the hell do I wear?

I'd love to wear Dockers and a nice sweater, but even I recognize that's a faux pas. Is a dress shirt and (red) tie okay? Can I wear my nice woolen bomber jacket on the outside? I ain't a-rentin' no tux, that's for damn sure, but on the other hand, I don't want to look like a complete rube. Help me!

posted by jdroth to media & arts (18 comments total)

It's Portland, man. You can wear office casual.
posted by matildaben at 11:21 AM on May 12, 2006

What matildaben said. You will see a wide variety of clothing, including jeans. Don G. has a cool ending, by the way. Enjoy!
posted by JanetLand at 11:23 AM on May 12, 2006

(This is, of course, a continuation of the enlightenment you all helped to foster beginning here.)
posted by jdroth at 11:26 AM on May 12, 2006

As a long-time opera-goer -- including many opening nights -- I can tell you you will not be out of place wearing any type of neat clothing, including a sweater. In fact, one of the fun things about opera nowadays is seeing the huge range and variety of dress and human types you can observe between acts. To tell you the truth, there's a certain comraderie among opera goers, and your fellow attendees are probably just grateful that you're there, helping to share the expenses.
posted by Faze at 11:29 AM on May 12, 2006

No worries about attire for the Portland opera. All the other responders are correct.

Enjoy the show tomorrow, I'll be at the Tuesday performance.
posted by turbodog at 11:34 AM on May 12, 2006

Dockers and a nice sweater is great for west coast opera attendance (I don't know anything about east coast dress rules).
posted by muddgirl at 11:35 AM on May 12, 2006

I've seen people in blue jeans, goth get ups, and socks+sandals at Portland shows. So I wouldn't worry.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:37 AM on May 12, 2006

Thanks all. You've comforted a worried mind. It seems my biggest worry will then be not offending my friend's wife. (She's from Philadelphia and thinks we Portlanders are slovenly in our disregard for formal attire.) Rock on, Mozart!
posted by jdroth at 11:38 AM on May 12, 2006

Don G. has a cool ending, by the way. Enjoy!

Depends which version! I suspect they won't show the original - it's a neat thing to bear in mind when you see it... (won't spoil it).
posted by greycap at 11:49 AM on May 12, 2006

To piggyback on this question. I'm going to my first opera in San Francisco in another month. In my case it's not opening night. How much do I have to worry about dressing up?
posted by rdr at 12:24 PM on May 12, 2006

In fact, one of the fun things about opera nowadays is seeing the huge range and variety of dress and human types you can observe between acts.

I find this less fun. Why is so important to to wear flip-flops EVERYWHERE? Sheesh.

jdroth, wear whatever you think looks classiest -- you'll be fine. And have fun!
posted by desuetude at 12:47 PM on May 12, 2006

I was at the Seattle Opera the other night, for a weeknight performance. Usually on the weeknights you'll see everything from office casual to party-dressup (I myself dress in various shades of the latter), but not extremely formal. People in jeans will at least wear a jacket or nice shoes to dress up the jeans ensemble a bit. But I saw a couple of people that were way more dressed down than I have seen in several years of opera-going in Seattle, even on a weeknight. For instance, one person was wearing a pretty sloppy version of the ubiquitous northwest uniform of hiking pants, t-shirt, and earthy sandals.

San Francisco's opera audience is more cosmopolitan, IMHO, and dresses accordingly.

My favorite experience of opera dress is going to a performance on Halloween night, and seeing gay daddies in full leathers, drag queens, and plenty of goths.
posted by matildaben at 12:55 PM on May 12, 2006

rdr: It's been a while, but my recollection of SF Opera crowds is they're the dowdiest group in the city. No group dresses worse than cheap seats at the opera. If you wear something that's been pressed you'll be way ahead of the crowd.
posted by johngumbo at 12:57 PM on May 12, 2006

Well, I don't know about SF, but I can confirm that Seattle's opera-dress-code is just as casual as Portland's. Granted, my tickets have usually been for Sunday matinees, but even then I see people in everything from tshirt and jeans to formal/semiformal duds. I generally stick with office casual-ish--black slacks and a nice blouse or something--but that's because I'm an hour away from Seattle, and want to have a reasonably comfortable drive up and back.

(I'm off to see Verdi's Macbeth on Sunday, and will hopefully finish/wear the kelly-green linen dress I'm currently making.)
posted by Vervain at 12:58 PM on May 12, 2006

Vervain, the Macbeth performance was very good. Hang on to your seat when Macduff sings in Act 3 - he'll knock your socks off.
posted by matildaben at 2:20 PM on May 12, 2006

My ex, a Juilliard student, wore orange cargo shorts to the opera here in New York.

I think business casual, black will be fine.
posted by fugitivefromchaingang at 3:11 PM on May 12, 2006

Another piggyback question - I'm a music student in Cardiff, and managed to get my grubby paws on one of 30 free tickets for the WNO's dress rehearsal of Don Giovanni. Is attire an issue? I'm not desperately worried, just wondering - what's the etiquette for dress rehearsals?
posted by Lotto at 3:18 PM on May 12, 2006

I live on the east coast. Opera is a lot less stuffy than it used to be. Unless you're going to some kind of opening night gala, wear what you want. I'm a jeans and running shoes type of person -- and that's goes for at the opera too.

Just be comfortable and enjoy the show. I am assuming that the subtitles will be projected somewhere so that you can actually figure out what's going on. I'd be lost without subtitles. If they give any kind of a pre-concert talk, check that out too. They are usually pretty good. There will probably be wine at intermission. :)
posted by bim at 3:57 PM on May 12, 2006