"I Who Have Known You For So Long--I See the Pain in Your Eyes..."

[psalm_onethirtyone]

Something I noticed at the opera: people are beginning to go very underdressed. I mean, I am fully aware that I rather madly went through all my clothes until I found something I'd borrowed from Mum that was exceedingly fancy, and gold and black, and probably overdressed; but I like doing that. When I go to church, I consider it my privilege to be as crazy and extravagant as I'd like with my dresses, because I've no other real excuse to do so.

But really. I saw a woman wearing pink sweats. I saw a fellow wearing a sweater and jeans. Is this honestly what people wear to the opera now?

I understand that I am mad about clothes, yes; but I think even slacks and a somewhat fancy shirt can be entirely appropriate--but it is jeans with which we grace Puccini? Really? Come, world! We can do better!

Okay, that's all. *gets off soapbox* Having a snobby elitist moment there.

Comments

[rimusu.livejournal.com]

Pink sweats! Such respect.

Honestly, all performers work hard for the audience; the least one can do to honour them is to dress well, for heaven's sake.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

Yeaaah.

Yes. Exactly. One would think people still take pride in their appearences, too. It's all very 'the world is going to its own private hell'.

[shawk.livejournal.com]

I've noticed this a lot at musicals and opera in the past few years... people are either painfully overdressed (like in their old prom dresses that don't fit right any more) or painfully underdressed (holey jeans). While I'm glad that people are patronizing the theatre at all, is it that hard to wear a pair of slacks and a nice shirt, at the least?

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

Frankly, yes. What society is coming to. >_

[theatre-angel.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I completely agree with you. I wear jeans and shirts to matinee Broadway performances and I make a real effort to dress up for everything else, be it opening night or an opera. Opera=class, and we must dress as such. *nods*

And snobby elitist moments are fun. ^_^

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

*noddles* It does seem so.

^_^ Oh, thanks!

By the way, nice icon. *g*

[mmebahorel.livejournal.com]

I graced Puccini with jeans once. It was an impulse performance on a weekday evening, and there was no dress code. I sat in a box and giggled almost endlessly, until I started sobbing. Thank you, Baz Luhrmann.

But who the hell wears sweats in public? I wouldn't go to the drug store dressed in sweats (I don't even own sweats because if I can't wear it outside, why bother owning it?).

I always tell patrons that there is no dress code, so jacket and tie are not required, but that they'll fit in best if they at least wear khakis and a button down (in warm weather) or nice trousers and a sweater (in cold weather).

People need to quit wearing prom dresses, though. They don't know how to manoeuvre those skirts, so it's hard to avoid stepping on them on the stairs. Those things are a hazard (and often too slutty to be appropriate, IMO). Can't be comfortable to sit in for three hours, either. I enjoy a show much more if I'm not worried about the VAA (Visual Access Angle - anytime a woman is wearing a skirt, somewhere in the room, always shifting, is a straight line to home base). And if I'm not wearing pantyhose. Pantyhose were invented by Satan.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

As to prom dresses, I have no idea what they are exactly, but anything that's so uncomfortable one cannot wear it for three hours to watch opera or move around in is inappropriate. One should just dress comfortably and perhaps semi-formally.

^^;;; I rather like pantyhose... only wore them yesterday for the first time in seven years, but...

[shawk.livejournal.com]

A woman down the row from me at La Boheme was wearing a tu-tu. That was fun when she tried to walk down the aisle past everyone to her seat.

I don't know what's wrong with people sometimes.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

*blinks* Um. Wow. Good God.

*pause* Ahh! You saw La Boheme! Oh, heavens, I am so insanely jealous! ;_;

[shawk.livejournal.com]

It was pink, too.

Yes, I saw it once in SF pre-Broadway, and then... um... 4 times in LA. What a wonderful production.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

Woe is me! *envies madly* I've only ever seen the Metropolitain Opera VHS with James Morris as Colline (love). Our opera place isn't doing it again until I don't know when.

*sighs* At least I have Hoffman to comfort me.

[shawk.livejournal.com]

There is a DVD of Luhrmann's Australian production, and of course the CD from the Broadway production. I own the DVD but haven't managed to see it yet.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

You--you own the DVD and haven't watched it yet? O_O *splutters; dies*

[shawk.livejournal.com]

My real life exploded and I just haven't gotten around to it.

Damn real life. ;)

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

Real life is like the curse of the fannish class.

[shawk.livejournal.com]

It really is. Alas. Woe.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

Woe, Woe, Woe.