{"id":3882,"date":"2016-09-14T08:01:28","date_gmt":"2016-09-14T07:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/?p=3882"},"modified":"2025-09-30T11:46:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T10:46:34","slug":"what-to-wear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/what-to-wear\/","title":{"rendered":"What should you wear to the opera?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/operaclothes.jpg\" alt=\"Black tie for the opera\" class=\"wp-image-11124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/operaclothes.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/operaclothes-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Should you dress like Cinderella (or her Prince) if you&#8217;ve seats or standing tickets for one of Vienna&#8217;s opera houses?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The short answer is you can, but you don&#8217;t have to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Book a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/en\/concerts-opera-vienna-tickets-l206741\/?partner=visitingvienna&amp;tq_campaign=LG_Opera\" rel=\"sponsored\">classical concert<\/a>* in Vienna<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>See also:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/staatsoper-tour\/\">Guided tour of the Staatsoper<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/cheap-tickets\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"881\">Opera ticket tips<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/classical-concert-dress-code\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"75082\">What to wear to classical concerts<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-s-appropriate\">What&#8217;s &#8220;appropriate&#8221;?<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/staatsopernight.jpg\" alt=\"Staatsoper at night\" class=\"wp-image-41933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/staatsopernight.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/staatsopernight-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(What to wear inside the famous and magnificent State Opera House?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, check with the opera house in question for the latest requirements. But at the time of writing, here&#8217;s what Vienna&#8217;s three main locations have to say&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/staatsoper\/\">Staatsoper<\/a> (state opera house) has some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wiener-staatsoper.at\/en\/practical-info\/\">house rules<\/a> for you that respect the surrounding elegance. For example, bare feet or flipflops may see you refused entry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/volksoper\/\">Volksoper<\/a> states in its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.volksoper.at\/volksoper_wien\/information\/faq\/FAQ.en.php\">FAQ<\/a> that it has no specific dress code, though they welcome suitable attire. You should exercise common sense, of course. Swimwear might lead to some unfavourably raised eyebrows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I couldn&#8217;t find information for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/theater-wien\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"18961\">Theatre an der Wien<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>However, getting through the door is not your only worry when it comes to clothes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re wearing &#8220;normal&#8221; jeans and a t-shirt, for example, you won&#8217;t get thrown out of anywhere, and you certainly won&#8217;t be alone, either, especially if you&#8217;re in a standing space section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div align=\"center\"><em>Ad:<\/em><br><\/div><div data-tiqets-widget=\"discovery\" data-cards-layout=\"horizontal\" data-slug-ids=\"exp206741,exp238032\" data-partner=\"visitingvienna\" data-tq-campaign=\"DA_ConcTour\"><\/div><script defer src=\"https:\/\/widgets.tiqets.com\/loader.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Having said that, you might not be viewed with unbridled joy by some of the better-dressed visitors, particularly at the Staatsoper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My advice on what to wear: simply dress as if you were going for a nice evening out to a good restaurant and don&#8217;t worry about it. I say <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/classical-concert-dress-code\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"75082\">more or less the same<\/a> for classical concerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a man, for example, I wear decent trousers, shoes (even, sometimes, trainers) and a polo shirt or a shirt with a collar. I&#8217;ve worn a sports jacket on rare occasions but never a tie, since these are the invention of Beelzebub. I have yet to get anything other than neutral looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Summary: whatever you feel comfortable in, but respects the operatic ambience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, if you want to pull out all the stops, by all means put on an evening gown or dinner jacket. You won&#8217;t be alone.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/volksoper2024b.jpg\" alt=\"Front view of the Volksoper\" class=\"wp-image-69891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/volksoper2024b.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/volksoper2024b-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-small-font-size\">(The Volksoper is one of three major <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/activities\/opera-in-vienna\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1660\">opera houses<\/a> in Vienna)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A night at the opera is, after all, a night at the opera. Drinking a glass of sparkling wine in the interval while dressed up in the magnificent surrounds of the Staatsoper makes for a great <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/viennese-experiences\/\">Viennese experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two exceptions to these broad tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you&#8217;re lucky enough to be at a premiere or other one-off occasion, then dress up for it: expectations are higher. And the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/events\/opernball\/\">Opernball<\/a> opera ball at the Staatsoper has its own rules, of course<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you&#8217;re in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/opera\/cheap-tickets\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"881\">standing sections<\/a> at the opera, public expectations of dress are lower than for the seats. However, the basic requirements (see above) still apply. If you wouldn&#8217;t wear it to visit a church in Rome, don&#8217;t wear it to the opera in Vienna<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bonus tips<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clothing is, of course, just one of the aspects of an operatic evening. Others are better placed than me to advise on etiquette and similar: see for example <a href=\"https:\/\/www.concertvienna.com\/how-to-attend-the-opera\">this overview<\/a> with broader tips on attending opera in town<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enjoy the performance! And consider adding another course to your Viennese cultural feast with a classical concert in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/entertainment\/classical-concert\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"5359\">historical palais or church<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Should you dress like Cinderella (or her Prince) if you&#8217;ve seats or standing tickets for one of Vienna&#8217;s opera houses? The short answer is you can, but you don&#8217;t have to. What&#8217;s &#8220;appropriate&#8221;? (What to wear inside the famous and magnificent State Opera House?) Obviously, check with the opera house in question for the latest [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3882","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-opera","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3882"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86121,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3882\/revisions\/86121"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visitingvienna.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}