From: Amy Hespenheide
Subject: Re: OFF: Opera and classical concert attire
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>



--- Jessica wrote:
> This is very off subject, but, events recently have piqued my
> curiosity
> about this subject: what is common for men and women to wear in your
> neck
> of the woods at the opera? What about a classical concert - a big
> name, say
> Pavarotti or Bertoli, etc. - what types of things do you see men and
> women
> wearing these days? It seems the days of opera gowns is behind us...
> so
> what does the modern opera or classical concert look like where you
> are -
> or, does the opera gown still thrive and if so to what extent?


This question reminded me of the first time that I got standing room
tickets for the San Francisco Opera. . . . I'd been to the San
Francisco Symphony on student tickets several times at that point, and
almost anything goes there.. . . from jeans up to dress suits for the
women. I thought, it's a Tuesday night, how dressed up can they be? I
wore a denim shirt and khakis; my friend Leela wore all black stretch.
To our astonishment, it turned out that Tuesday night at the San
Francisco opera is part of Series A for season ticket holders, the
series that the wealthiest (and most generous) patrons of the opera
purchase. . . . every possible gown you could imagine. All the men
were in suits; most were in tuxedos. For the women -- beads, sequins,
feathers, strapless floor-length gowns, jewels galore. My jaw hit the
floor. It was actually really fun to be there that night, but I wished
I hadn't worn denim! But standees really do wear anything and
everything. . . .

Having been back on other nights, I can say that it's not like that
every night. But in San Francisco, people do dress up more for the
opera than the symphony. Here in Reno, people dress up, but not in
floor-length ball gowns. Cocktail dresses and suits . . . .

My $.02 of reporting ..

Amy
Reno, Nevada
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