First Timers Guide
| I've never been to an opera! What should I expect? 1. How will I understand it? Don't they sing in different languages? 2. Which opera should I go to first? 3. So what is this Festival thing about? 4. What do I wear? 5. Don't I have to be quiet during a performance to show respect? 6. Is there any other etiquette I should know about? 7. What should I do in Fort Worth before / after the opera? 8. Should I bring my kids? 9. Yeah, but will I really like it? I'm not an opera person. 10. Where can I learn more?
Back to top 2. Which opera should I go to first? / 3. What is this Festival thing? There are as many different styles of opera as there are styles of movies. And just like Hollywood remakes, the same opera can be performed in different ways. At Fort Worth Opera, we try to give you a good idea of what you're going to see and what style an opera is, plus we are dedicated to providing a wide variety of styles each and every season. Simply check out our operas under "Season" and if one sounds interesting to you, try it. Note that it takes many people two or three trips to the opera house to get a good feel of opera – giving up after your first one is like seeing one movie and deciding you don't like any movies. In fact, you may want to consider purchasing a season ticket – you'll save money and get a good sampling of operas at the same time. With our Festival format, we produce all of our operas the span of a few weeks in the spring. We've seen this turn into a major event, with people traveling from all over the world to attend our opera series. If you're from out of town, a weekend trip to Fort Worth is a great vacation, packed full of high quality operas. If you're local, you can spread it out a bit, and see one opera a week for the duration of the Festival. We program our season to open with a well-known opera "Classic." If you're new to opera, seeing these classics will allow you to hear music you know, but didn't realize was from an opera. Lots of commercials, ring tones, cartoons and movies use opera music. We then will have an opera that has been produced regularly, but not as often as the most popular operas. These oldies but goodies are dusted off and given a new life with dynamic staging and great storytelling. Our Cinderella (La Cenerentola) last season, was voted the Best Classical Event in Fort Worth. Then we have a new piece, either a world premier or piece that has not been around for very long. Folks that don't want to see another Carmen or Madame Butterfly (even though ours are far from stale) get excited over contemporary pieces that aren't done by standard companies. Back to top 4. What do I wear? Whatever you want; we have no dress requirements. The largest number of our patrons wear business or "after-five" attire; the others wear everything from jeans to tuxedos (or both). The most important thing is that you be comfortable and enjoy yourself. Back to top 5. Don't I have to be quiet during a performance to show respect? Opera singers love to hear appreciation for their work. So do we. Clapping, standing, yelling, and other types of applause are very welcome at the right times. As a general rule, opera patrons clap at the end of each act and after a spectacular song. When in doubt, don't applaud until you hear everyone else doing it. Back to top 6. Is there any other etiquette I should know about? Bass Performance Hall has been named one of the top-ten opera houses in the world. The main reason for its fame is the outstanding acoustics. For the singers, this means that every person in the audience will clearly hear their voice without a microphone. For you, it means that they will equally hear your pager, cell phone, candy wrapper and other noise. So, unless you want 2,000 people leaning forward to stare at you, we suggest you shut everything off. (In fact, we suggest it even if you do want 2,000 people staring at you.) If you have a cough, note that we provide cough drops at the entrances of the seating areas for your convenience. Be sure to arrive early. As a courtesy to other patrons, we don't seat latecomers until the first intermission (which means you'll have to watch it on a little monitor in the hall - a total drag). Also, use the restroom beforehand. We strongly discourage - as will the people around you - getting up and down during the performance. Also, recording an opera performance with a camera, cell phone, or any other way, is strictly forbidden. While you might want to share your experience online, and we want you to have a memorable experience, by recording either video or audio of a performance you are in fact infringing on the rights of the musicians who are performing, and Fort Worth Opera works very hard to create a safe environment for our artists. Oh, and no texting either! Back to top 7. What should I do in Fort Worth before / after the opera? Before the performance, how about a backstage tour or pre-show lecture? Both are free and offered by Fort Worth Opera to any ticket holder. Pre-show lectures begin an hour before curtain at each performance. If you're catching the Dallas bus service to Bass Hall, you'll see the lecture on your trip. Want a sneak peak in how we have three operas in one place at the same time? Join Clyde Berry, our Director of Education, for a tour of Bass Hall featuring a special look backstage. Tours begin 90 minutes before each opera's second and all remaining performances in the run (there's too much going on on an opening night). Fort Worth has tons of restaurants and fun things to do downtown. The area is convenient, well-lit, safe, and parking is free on evenings and weekends. Some operas can be up to 3 hours long, so we suggest you eat before you come. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time; no food or drink is permitted into Bass Hall. In town for the weekend? We have several of the finest museums in the world all within walking distance of each other. There's also a zoo and botanical gardens, and who can visit without a trip to the stockyards! Back to top 8. Should I bring my kids? That depends on the kid. While we do encourage parents to expose their children to opera, mainstage operas are not suitable for young children, who can get restless and make noise. Older children should be left at home if you have any doubts as to their ability to remain quiet during the performance. Older kids and teenagers often enjoy opera, it's like Classical MTV, only more intense. Before you decide to bring older children or teens to an opera, we recommend you read the synopsis or call the opera office to make sure it's suitable - many operas contain adult subject matter. We recommend the Family Four Pack ticket package. It's designed to get you and your family introduced to the operatic arts with several children's operas, a smaller traditional opera, and then tickets to the most family friendly production in our season. You get 12 tickets for $135! Back to top 9. Yeah, but will I really like it? Opera is the only performing art form that is growing in popularity - especially with younger audiences. Why? Opera, like no other entertainment or art form, helps us transcend our ordinary lives and be carried away with unbelievable drama, sights, sounds and emotion. So, do you have to learn about opera to enjoy it? No, you don't. But, as with life's other exquisite pleasures, a little background knowledge can turn "great" into "unforgettable." The truth is: you don't have to know a thing about opera to enjoy it. But learning a little of the background behind your opera or listening to the music beforehand will definitely enhance your experience. We suggest attending one of our entertaining – and free – pre-opera talks. If you really want to widen your horizons, check out Opera for Dummies by David Pogue & Scott Peck (our favorite and we're not that dumb), which comes with its own CD, or one of many books that tells the stories of various operas. Also, bookstores, online and brick, have a wide variety of opera music to choose from, from entire operas to samplers with different themes. Why not check out our YouTube account for some quick vids highlighting each production? Back to top 10. Where can I learn more? The first thing we'd say is call us! We'd be glad to talk to you about what we're doing. Browse this website, there's lots of videos and articles to peruse at your convenience. Our YouTube site carries many of these same features. Perhaps you want to expand your social circle? Consider joining our group for young professionals, Fort Worth Opera Leadership. It's the inside track to networking and learning about opera. Back to top |
