Have you ever thought about attending an opera for the first time but you wonder if you have to bring opera glasses or wear a tuxedo? Will it be performed in English or a foreign language?

How about a symphony orchestra concert – do you have to dress up? Can kids go, too? Are all the seats equally comfortable? Are expensive seats worth it versus the cheap seats? Can you record the performances?

If you’ve avoided attending classical concerts because the “who, what, when, where, and how” seems daunting or you’re afraid of making a big blunder in the presence of hundreds, read on!

I’ll share one of my classical concert blunders:

I was attending summer music camp for the first time as a 6th grade Band student. Hundreds had gathered in an outdoor theater to watch the music camp student orchestra. After they finished playing a piece, I was dismayed to see and hear that perhaps only three people were applauding! I felt bad for my fellow campers and friends, so I started to clap loudly. They played another short piece, and this happened again; virtually no one clapped. So I clapped even louder; I noticed campers and camp counselors giving me annoyed looks and rolling their eyes.

It was only after the concert that my camp counselor explained to me that audience members are not supposed to clap between movements. Applause is reserved until the end of the entire piece. So… what’s a “movement?” It’s like a chapter. For instance, a 30-minute piece might be made up of three chapters (three movements), which sound like three separate pieces, but applause is held until the conclusion of the final movement. You usually see it in a written program as a main title with movements involving roman numerals, such as this four movement piece – Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 (by Beethoven): I. Allegro con brio, II. Andante con moto, III. Scherzo: Allegro IV. Allegro.

Classical Concert Logistics

If you buy a classical concert ticket, such as a ticket for the Houston Symphony Orchestra, you may have a choice of printing paper tickets, picking up paper tickets at the box office, or having an electronic ticket. You will need to choose which seats you want:

• “Best seats” usually refer primarily to the best sound, and they also have a great view. These are typically the most expensive seats, often in the center on the main floor or in certain balcony areas. Usually these are not the front row seats on the main floor. Front row is cool for Taylor Swift, but not a symphony. It sounds better if you are several rows back.
• Some seats will indicate something like “obstructed view” when you purchase them. This means you might have a hand rail in your view while sitting in the balcony or something else partially blocking your view.
• Most facilities will have the same comfort options more or less, meaning, the seats are probably pretty much the same on the main floor as they are in the balcony, but you might have less leg room with the cheaper seats.

Leave babies, toddlers, and young children home. Many venues will have an age requirement so check the fine print or ticket for more details.

Concert Do’s and Don’ts

Besides waiting to applaud until all movements of a piece are finished, keep these things in mind:

• Dress up. While it’s true that you will see casually dressed people, this is a sad trend that is not appreciated by most concert goers and performers. It’s better to be over dressed than under dressed in these settings.
• Arrive early. There can be lines to get your tickets, lines to get in, lines to use the restroom, etc. Plus, it’s fun to mill around and there may be food, drinks, and souvenirs to explore. You can typically take pictures and videos in the lobby areas.
• Turn phones off. Yes. Off. Not on silent. Power it down. The last thing you want is for an emergency alert to blare through during a performance or for your phone to keep lighting up.
• Leave beeping watches home. There always seems to be at least one or two gentlemen at concerts who wear watches that beep. Leave these home.
• No perfume/cologne. You sit really close to others in these venues. Perfume and cologne can trigger migraines for some, and can make others cough or sneeze.
• Sit still. Classical concert audiences are notoriously quiet. If you need to stretch or shuffle your feet, do this during applause. Cough and clear your throat during the applause. And, as tempting as it might be, don’t tap your feet to the music.
• No photos or videos during the performance. This is pretty standard wherever you go. But remember, your phone is off anyway, right?
• No seat swapping. If you see seats that no one is sitting in at the concert, you are not supposed to go sit in those. Sit only in the seats assigned by your tickets.
• Use the intermission. When the concert starts, you’re in your seat the whole time. This is not the type of setting where you get up and exit whenever you feel like checking your phone. Wait for the intermission to use restrooms, get a drink, etc.
• No water bottles. Houstonians – You will be fine if you don’t have your water bottle for a few hours. Don’t bring them into the building.
• No food/drinks. Some venues allow you to purchase food in the lobbies, but the food is to be consumed only in the lobbies. Don’t bring your own food and drinks.
• Listen for the end of intermission cue. Not sure if you should have another glass of wine during intermission? If you hear tones or music pitches, that means intermission is ending and you need to go back to your seat. If intermission ends, and you are not back in your seat, the ushers are not going to let you back in most likely once the concert starts. And even if they let you back in during applause, you’re really going to make concert goers upset when you have to climb over their laps and step on their toes to get to your seat.

Opera FAQ’s

Don’t fear the opera! Seeing a professional opera performance is amazing. An opera is a musical play: Instead of the characters speaking their lines, they sing their lines. If it’s your first time, I recommend attending an Italian opera. They are loved by many whereas some of the other operas are an acquired taste:

• You don’t have to have opera glasses; you’ll be able to see the opera without them, but you can’t see the facial expressions as much.
• Unless it’s a gala concert or perhaps opening night, you don’t need to wear tuxedos and sequin dresses, but do dress up.
• Read the story of the opera on the internet before you go. Get familiar with the characters and what happens. It will be performed in a foreign language.
• If you’re considering taking a child (not a young child), you may want to read the story first before buying tickets. There are some operas with aspects to the story that some may feel is not appropriate for kids.
• Many operas in the U.S. have small screens above the stage that translate into English as the singers sing, so even if you didn’t read the story, you won’t be lost.

Conclusion

In Katy, Texas, we are lucky to live close to Houston which is full of classical performances throughout the year, but few people in Katy take advantage of this. While it is a bit of a drive to get to these performances, you won’t regret it once you’re there.

If you’re not sure of something at a classical concert, there are usually kind, helpful ushers or volunteers happy to assist and answer your questions. Concert goers themselves are excited to be there, so don’t be afraid to ask questions of fellow audience members. The classical community welcomes newcomers to the classical world and will be delighted by your presence.