Hi ! How should one dress to atend an opera ? I mean, I do not want to carry a jacket for a ten day trip just to use it one night, furthermore being on holiday ! By the way, is it worth it ? I've never attended an opera. Do you really see anything form the cheap tickets . . . without binoculars . . . or should I spend the money on a huge sirloin ?

There is no dress code at the Metropolitan Opera. Certainly you'd feel out of place wearing faded jeans, but nicely dressed sans jacket, you won't be alone.

In terms of the seats, I'm sure it won't present a problem. I've always sat in the orchestra, but I can't imagine the NY Opera House having poor seats. The stage is fairly large and the sets usually occupy the entire stage,

One note of caution, they are VERY strict about being in your seat by curtain time. You will be sent to the "time-out" corner if you're late and will have to watch the performance on tv until a suitable break in the performance. By chance you don't speak Italian, every seat has its own subtitle screen so you can at least follow along with the story.

You can have a huge sirloin at home. When in NYC, why not try something new?

Mote-

Assuming you mean the Met you're going to:
There is no dress code. The folks who sit in the $100+ seats usually do wear suits & evening dresses.

If you're in the nosebleed section (Family Circle), it's rather relaxed. I've seen plenty of people up there wearing jeans.

From Family Circle or the Balcony - if your seats are in the center, you can see the stage ok - just very far. I always bring binoculars but that's just me.

I have sat front row center in the dress circle for about $100, and the view was wonderful. I used my binoculars some but really didn't need them to enjoy the performance and see everything very well. In the balcony and family circle, I would think you would greatly benefit from having a pair of binoculars, but I don't think you would need to keep them glued to your eyes. My experience was that at least about 75% or more were dressed up in a suit or similar, but just nice business casual type clothes wouldn't make you feel out of place.

Ryan......OP is European.."being on holiday" is a definite tip off...further investigation reveals he is "Jaime" from Mallorca,Spain...So spluring on a huge sirloin may in fact be "something new'!!.....

Mote, while the view may not be as good from the "cheap seats" the sound will usually be better. From a musical point of view the seats midway and beyond are much better. The clarity, blend and such begin there. Enjoy.

BeachBoi,
Cows in Europe don't come with loin sections? Wow, never noticed.

Mote - I hope you're attending the opera because you like opera, and not just to see the Met. I'm sort of responding to your question about whether you should spend the money on a "huge sirloin" instead. La Traviata is my absolutely favorite opera and I would hate to see it competing with a steak! It's possible to tour the opera house without sitting through an opera if you think you might not enjoy it.

First of all, there are two opera companies in New York--the Met and NYC Opera. I assume Mote is talking about the latter. Either way, most (but not all) will dress up for opera in NY, but not evening dresses as a previous poster wrote. However, a jacket is NOT mandatory, especially since you state that it may be only time you'd need one during a 10-day visit....just as long as you are sure that you really won't need a jacket any other time. I don't think you'll feel that out of place without one at the opera.
The prices for the NYC Opera a cheaper than the Met. I'd recommend NOT getting the cheap seats. For us, it's a bit far and sort of takes you away from being part of it. The middle price range should be fine.

Dear Ryan, yes, I?m from Mallorca, Spain, is this a problem for you ? If so, you have a problem, not me, well so I think. I?ve travelled to the USA recently ( this October NY trip will be the fourth visit in 5 years, including FLA 2.000, NYC 2.001 and honeymoon in CA & NV last September ) and found a lot of help from this talk.

I?m sorry about my writing, I know I am and write like a stranger, but I do my best, you know. For sure I tell you we have sirloins here, actually in Spain we eat light years better than you do, and I?m not talking about Ferran Adriá and the likes, but on a daily basis. Go and ask. Or you better try it !

By the way, I want to attend the opera just for the play itself, not for the building. I?m sure me and my wife will both enjoy. And no jacket ! My navy blue Barbour will be ok.

Thanks to everyone asking my post,the comments were very helpful, but for sure I?ll be back with more questions from, sorry Beachboi, Mallorca, Spain. Buen fin de semana

Sorry Ryan, my previous post was addresed to beachboi, not to you. Ops ! Enjoy the weekend everybody !

Ooops, Howard. Mote made clear which company he was speaking of in his title.

Personally I loved the days when people dressed for the opera. First the theatre became more casual and then opera. But I've given in to the idea that it is better to just look nice and go, than to not go because you don't want to dress up.