I will be in Rome for four days in late September. I've never been to an opera. Rome seems like a place I should try one. Can anyone suggest how I can find what's out there, and more importantly, what a neophyte should do?

Tinling - Rome Opera House is showing the Marriage of Figaro on 22-29 September.

http://www.operaroma.it/weboper0.htm

Hope this helps ...

Steve

Get a copy of the libretto beforehand so you know what the story is. Even better - listen to it before hand - so you'll know what to expect (perhaps in sections while you're driving?).

Tinling, I was wondering the exact same thing. After some reading, I decided on the Marriage of Figaro and will be at the performance the 29th. I got my ticket through www.charta.it, which I found out about at slowtrav.com. If you're interested, you probably want to get right on it. I ordered my ticket way back in March, and even then there weren't a lot of seats left.
Have fun!

You can also buy tickets directly from the opera house (google teatro opera roma for details, the website has an English translation for the ticket section). Then you know there won't be a mark-up.

Le Nozze di Figaro is a good opera to start with; good tunes (several of which you'll recognise even if you're not particularly into classical music), plenty of physical comedy, and, as operas go, a relatively plausible story.

Sorry, just noticed someone already gave the opera house website address.

Thanks all for the great advice and information. I will attempt to book it.

I did book it. Now, what is the correct dress for such an event.