# I'm going to the opera for the first time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 18, 2025, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786 "2025-03-18T19:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/1 "2025-03-18T19:34:08Z")
I go to a lot of live music. Like over 150 show per year. Mostly rock/blues/Americana. So there’s this beautiful old theater in my town where I go very often. I’m probably in the top 5 people in terms of attendees and I also donate to their foundation so they like me. I got an email today offering me two free tickets to an opera. It’s a kind offer even though I know they’re trying are trying to hook me on another genre. I’ve literally been to a few thousand live musical performances. There have been a small handful of symphonies but never an opera. Should be interesting. It’s The Daughter of the Regiment. Any opera fans in the house? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/2 "2025-03-18T19:41:17Z")
Did Bugs Bunny do that one? If not, I got nothin’. Enjoy the show though! I’ll be interested in hearing your thoughts afterward. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/3 "2025-03-18T19:46:16Z")
My father was a big fan or opera. I really tried to get into. I eventually realized I hate opera and find it boring. My serious advice- watch a different opera, preferably one by the same composer on your computer and see what it does for you. Oh Opera Comique- Opera not written in one of the romance languages Opera Buffa- Comedy opera Recitative- all lines are sung even when not part of a larger song That’s all I got. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/4 "2025-03-18T20:02:59Z")
I happen to love operas. But I’m afraid that’s one I’m not familiar with. I have seen Donizetti’s “Lucia Di Lammermoor”, which is very good. This is by the same composer. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/5 "2025-03-18T20:11:03Z")
I just listened to what’s supposed to be the most famous song from the work. It’s a woman lead with a chorus and piano and guitar. Nice melody but a lot of it is screechy to my ear. No doubt it takes enormous talent to accurately hit those high notes but it’s not pleasant. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/6 "2025-03-18T20:12:28Z")
This should link to the passage if you scroll to Synopsis > **[La fille du régiment](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_fille_du_r%C3%A9giment)** > > La fille du régiment (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}French pronunciation: \[la fij dy ʁeʒimɑ̃\], The Daughter of the Regiment) is an opéra comique in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti, set to a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard. It was first performed on 11 February 1840 by the Paris Opéra-... ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/7 "2025-03-18T20:13:58Z")
The singing style in Daughter of the Regiment is called Bel Canto, which means it is written to favor beautiful singing over drama or acting. With good singers it can be transcendent; with less good singers, hope for the best. The tenor role has an aria with repeated high C’s in it (this is the piece that gave Pavarotti the title King of the HIgh C’s, because he did it so well) and is a challenge. The plot is a love story, and it doesn’t get in the way of any of the singing. I would love to see a performance of this opera if any of the singers is up to the demands of the music. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/8 "2025-03-18T20:16:26Z")
The only opera I’ve been to as an adult was in Verona Italy, in a 2000 year old Roman ampitheater, starting at 8:00 PM on a full moon warm summer evening. It was pretty amazing, even if we didn’t know anything about opera. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/TGpMWFK.jpeg "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/TGpMWFK) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/9 "2025-03-18T20:19:01Z")
Here she is doing something else. You tell me [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/puVCYsly1MQ/maxresdefault.jpg "OPERA SANTA BARBARA: Jana McIntyre sings Caro Nome") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puVCYsly1MQ) ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/10 "2025-03-18T20:26:34Z")
Well, she doesn’t sound to me like a coloratura, which is the style of soprano you want in this role. Bel Canto requires ruthless breath control and ability to sing a lot of notes rapidly (more than, say, volume or legato). Her high notes are rather harsh (such as at 2:22), although cheap PC speakers are not kind to high soprano singing so it’s hard to be sure. This aria is from Rigoletto by Verdi, a quite different style of singing from Donizetti. I would still go, it will be an interesting experience, even if it doesn’t all sound great to you, there will be good stuff in it. Your opera is also fairly short-ish, as full-length operas go, only two acts. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/11 "2025-03-18T20:30:20Z")
They said 2.5 hours with an intermission. About the same length as a Dead show. How long are normal operas? I’m definitely going. They’re relatively expensive tickets that they gifted me and it will at least be interesting. I’m sure there will be parts of it that I’ll enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/12 "2025-03-18T20:42:12Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > How long are normal operas? Operas in 3 acts will have 2 intermissions, which means they can easily go over 3 hours. Don’t even ask about Wagner’s Ring Cycle, those things go on for 5 hours I think (never been, never listened). I’d say the hardest thing for a lot of new opera goers is when there is a lot of exposition between arias. Even if they have supertitles (English translations projected above the stage) or even if the opera is sung in English, that can get boring in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/13 "2025-03-18T20:47:02Z")
I’d be high _and_ wearing a tuxedo. That was my standard approach to my annual “Nutcracker Suite” outing, some Shakespeare, and some opera. I hope you enjoy yourself! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/14 "2025-03-18T20:51:33Z")
What are you going to wear, @hajario ? ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/15 "2025-03-18T20:53:37Z")
Opera. I thought I would hate it but I really enjoyed it. But not for the singing or the librettos (didn’t understand either) but for the sets, costumes and the drama. Very powerful ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/16 "2025-03-18T20:54:36Z")
Well not a tux. I wear tshirt with maybe a thermal over it and jeans to everything except weddings and funerals. It didn’t occur to me to dress up. It’s a 600 seat theater in Santa Barbara. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/17 "2025-03-18T20:56:13Z")
It would make me kind of anxious not knowing how everyone else is going to dress! I wouldn’t know what to wear. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/18 "2025-03-18T21:00:36Z")
I’ve been to the San Francisco Opera many times, usually in the upper balcony. That’s where the cheap seats are. I don’t know how it is down at the orchestra but up where I sit, people wear whatever they want. Everything from jeans and t-shirts, to formalwear. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/19 "2025-03-18T21:00:39Z")
Looks like there’s both a matinee _and_ an evening show. It’s worth noting that, generally, people dress up more for the evening shows than for the matinees. > **[The Daughter of the Regiment - Opera Santa Barbara](https://www.operasb.org/performances/the-daughter-of-the-regiment/)** > > ON STAGE Your Content Goes Here > Lobero Theatre | Friday, May 2 at 7:30PM & Sunday, May 4 at 2:30PM Your Content Goes Here > > A girl raised on the battlefield by a rowdy French Regiment falls in love with ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786/20 "2025-03-18T21:11:28Z")
I saw ads for a one night only show based on The Screwtape Letters. In the end, I decided not to go. I could find no real information about the show. Tickests started at $75. Finally, it appeared there was a dress code. I’ve been to the Rodin museum (I hiighly recommend it) in jeans and a t-shirt. I have been to the Philly Art Museum in jeans and a t-shirt. There, I can commune with the brilliant, tortured spirit of Vincent Van Gogh (I am crazy abour View From The Asylum Window/Rain). If jeans and a T-shirt is good enough for them, I see no reason to dress up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-the-opera-for-the-first-time/1015786.md?page=2)