I am planning a trip to Italy in late September/early October. My trip will include a Saturday evening performance of a new opera at Teatro alla Scala (La Scala). Would anyone be able to tell me how the audience dresses compared with the audience at The Met in NYC?
Opera Buffs - Attire for LaScala vs The Met
LaoHu
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I am planning a trip to Italy in late September/early October. My trip will include a Saturday evening performance of a new opera at Teatro alla Scala (La Scala). Would anyone be able to tell me how the audience dresses compared with the audience at The Met in NYC?
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I am pleased to hear that black tie is still de rigeur at the opera, but what about the symphony? How about Severance Hall in Cleveland?
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Well I have to say that when I've been to La Scala I saw nobody in black tie. Dark suits for the men and ladies dressed to the nines. I'm sure they do it for opening night for the major works (invitation only sort of thing). . . . It's a wonderful place, renovated within the last couple of years -- get your tickets early -- if you don't you'll end up buying bad seats at a high price from scalpers. Have fun!
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At orchestra concerts, black tie is only seen at galas. A suit will put you in the high percentile of dressiest patrons. Black tie at the opera is rare too, and even at the Met it is not common. You will look conspicuous.
Black tie is absolutely proper for an opening night at La Scala (or almost anywhere else in the western world). I believe this would also include the symphony at Severance Hall in Cleveland. Even if no one else wore black tie, you would still be properly dressed for such an occasion.
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According to the Cleveland Orchestra, which is probably principally interested in not losing any ticket sales by asking men to actually wear "uncomfortable" clothing:
What should I wear?
Patrons attending The Orchestra generally wear business or business casual attire. At times, audiences may dress formally only for special gala events. Above all, you should wear whatever makes you comfortable.
What should I wear?
Patrons attending The Orchestra generally wear business or business casual attire. At times, audiences may dress formally only for special gala events. Above all, you should wear whatever makes you comfortable.
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These performance of "Teneke" by Fabio Vacci are pre-season. The season at La Scala begins traditionally on December 7th, the feast day of Saint Ambrose (Ambrogio), the patron Saint of Milan.
If I were you, I would not worry too much about dress; lounge suit will be fine, more is likely to be overkill. It's only on December 7th, that the tiaras come out.
If I were you, I would not worry too much about dress; lounge suit will be fine, more is likely to be overkill. It's only on December 7th, that the tiaras come out.
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Personally, I don't care where it is or if it's gala or not - I just wear black tie. And this is in Sydney. I may be the only one in whole Sydney Opera House in black tie, I wear it anyway. I wore black tie to the ballet recently too for the opening night of Swan Lake with the Paris Opera Ballet on tour here.
The last time I attend La Scala in September was pre renovation - it was mid Sept. and it was HOT in there. I remember the sweat pouring down my face. I don't know if they have gotten the air conditioning under control or not. We were in a box which I don't think it had a vent. The temperature made the performance difficult to enjoy. I have been back since but during the winter.
Maybe it is time for an astute lawyer to sue a few companies for false advertising of "dress circle" tickets.
Black Tie at Opera
I'm looking at the comments and I'm wondering how many people go to the Opera regularly?
Here in the US Black Tie only for Galas, (sometimes opening nights are galas). I have season tickets to the Met and National and one of the common complaints you hear is that the guys in black tie on a performance night didn't know what to wear.
At La Scala it depends on where you sit, as Opera is much more popular over there. If you have a box black tie, or even white on a gala. Everyone else wears suits and ties.
I'm looking at the comments and I'm wondering how many people go to the Opera regularly?
Here in the US Black Tie only for Galas, (sometimes opening nights are galas). I have season tickets to the Met and National and one of the common complaints you hear is that the guys in black tie on a performance night didn't know what to wear.
At La Scala it depends on where you sit, as Opera is much more popular over there. If you have a box black tie, or even white on a gala. Everyone else wears suits and ties.
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In many European opera houses a large proportion of men still wear black tie routinely to the opera. One could argue that informal dinner clothes (aka dinner jacket) are too casual for the opera. Traditionally, everyone wore proper evening dress to the opera:
Whether you follow the German chart or the English one, both state that a dress suit was mandatory.
It is a sad thing that we have come to regard daytime beach and resort wear as being suitable for work and worse still, as evening dress. For that is what lounge suits originally are - a form of leisure wear. Although, as you can see, this form of slobwear had come to be accepted as business dress by 1902. Prior to that a lady would pretend not to recognise a man thusly attired in town.
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Great point! Maybe the section should be subdivided into "dress" and "arriviste".
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I don't know, how many European opera houses you attended, but black tie (let alone white tie) will make you distinctly over-dressed. Even at premieres, dinner jackets are a rare sight. Exceptions are festivals, like Glyndebourne, Bayreuth or Salzburg where the audience laps at the opportunity to give their old clobber it's annual outing. (But even there, no white tie.)
There is also a difference whether you are seated 'front of house' or in the 'Gods'. English theatre buildings used to be ruthless in dividing the 'amphitheatre' off the main house with different entrance, stair case, bar, etc. for the smart people not to rub shoulders with the hoi polloi.
That chart is from 1902. I have subscription tickets to the symphony, and I'm overdressed with a dark suit. It's the same for an opera. This isn't some fundraising charity event or gala. You're there to enjoy the music.
I can't think of a classical/opera season (subscription) ticket-holding music-lover that actually dresses in black-tie wear. Who dresses in black-tie to a dozen concerts each year?
I can't think of a classical/opera season (subscription) ticket-holding music-lover that actually dresses in black-tie wear. Who dresses in black-tie to a dozen concerts each year?
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I can.
Me.
I don't care if it means I end up outdressing the conductor half the time. It is better than wearing beach wear (ie lounge suits) to the opera.
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So, what do you wear on the beach?
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