The Ultimate Guide to Going to the Opera

How to choose an opera...

It depends what you like! Think about what kind of films you like to see, or books you like to read. Operas fit loosely into three genres:

1. Comedy
2. Tragedy – may contain a little bit of (c)
3. Epic – may contain a little bit of (b)

Every opera on our stages will have beautifully detailed costumes and sets. The look of each opera depends on the set and costume designers, and the era in which the production is set. We provide lots of information and images to help you see what a production looks like.

Even if you’ve never been to the opera, you’ll know many of the tunes from commercials and films. Where possible, we'll point to audio clips so that you can listen to the big hit and have an idea what the music sounds like.

You can use any number of criteria to decide what to see — who is starring, how long the performance is, what language it is sung in, what the costumes look like, what music you’ve heard, or simply whatever appeals to you at the time.

You can also just choose an opera using our calendar, and you’re just as likely to enjoy it! If you call the box office, the team will be able to make specific recommendations.

What do I wear?

Most of us aren’t regulars on the ball circuit and don’t have a tuxedo or a fur coat stashed away to pull out for the opera. Trust us, that doesn’t matter.

It’s a whole lot of fun to get dressed up and be glamorous for a night at the opera. Where else can you wear your grandmother’s pearls or break out your wedding suit?

But it’s not mandatory. Look around the theatre and you’ll see women in cocktail dresses, men in chinos, corporates in business suits, families in their Sunday best and tourists in whatever-they-were-wearing-that-day.

There’s no compulsory dress code. Wear what you’ll feel comfortable in. It can get cold in the theatre, so consider an extra layer. And if you're seeing a show on an outdoor stage, bring warm and weather-proof clothing!

Please avoid wearing strong fragrances in the theatre.

How will I know what’s going on?

Many operas are performed in other languages – most often Italian or French. There are surtitle screens above the stage that translate the words – just like subtitles in a film (we call them surtitles because they are above, not below (sub) the stage). The music also conveys a lot of the action. Is it stormy? The orchestra will let you know with lots of dramatic music. Sad? The music will make you feel that way.

We also provide lots of background to help you understand the opera, so take a look at the page for the opera that you're seeing.

Your one-stop shop is the cheat sheet, which includes a bit about the composer, a bit about the production, a guide to the characters, some things to listen out for in the music and a bit of the history behind the opera. It’s quick and easy to read. It also has a short description of the plot, with a link to a full synopsis is you don’t mind spoilers.

You can also read or watch interviews with the director or designer or performers, behind-the-scenes photographs, costume drawings or set models and production pictures, where available.

Stamping, clapping, booing, tomato-throwing…

You’re going to see some of the world’s top performers use their voices in ways most mere mortals can only dream of. They’re projecting those notes to the back of a massive theatre without any amplification. They’re jumping and trilling and whispering and yelling and hitting precisely the right notes and right rhythms every time. That takes amazing control and years of training - opera singers are like athletes! Here’s how to show your appreciation:

• Bravo: shout “bravo” like a boss to celebrate a male performer
• Brava: shout “brava” if you want to congratulate a female performer
• Bravi: If you’re not sure, or just think everyone’s done a fantastic job, shout “bravi”. It’s a safe bet if you’re not up on your Italian endings. (If you are, you’ll know it’s a masculine plural, but it can be used for a mixed crowd).

Clap with abandon. Stamp your feet too – it’s a fun tradition. Audiences will sometimes burst out into applause after a particularly famous aria if there’s a gap in the music – just wait for someone else to start clapping and you can’t go wrong.

When you hear applause at the beginning of the opera or after interval, but can’t see anything on stage, it’s probably that the conductor is walking into the orchestra pit. That’s a lovely way to show appreciation for the maestro and the orchestra, who are hidden away under the stage.

Sometimes people applaud when the curtain rises if the set is particularly impressive.

Don’t be alarmed if you hear the audience boo loudly when the baddie comes out for his bow. It’s usually high praise – for a job well done.

Tomato-throwing might still be ok in Italian theatres, but we don’t do it here.