Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 5 Il Travatore

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O 14 | November 17 - December 9, 2018 Debunking some of opera’s most persistent (and frustrating!) myths By Grace Coberly and Kamaria Morris OPERA EDITION W hat do you picture when you hear the word opera ? Maybe you envision a horned, metal helmet atop a pair of flowing braids, or an elaborate red dress weighed down with sparkling jewels. You might imagine the audience dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns, sitting in box seats. Or maybe you hear the music: a single soprano with a vibrato so powerful your champagne glass splinters into pieces. All of these aremyths, andwhile not entirely unfounded, they’re far from reflecting the whole truth! Thanks to some iconic operatic moments in popular culture (the 1990 film Pretty Woman , the 1950s Warner Brothers-Merrie Melodies musical short What’s Opera, Doc?, starring Bugs Bunny), the general public holds many preconceptions about the etiquette, technical elements, and cultural value involved with live opera performance. So what’s true and what’s not? Let’s take a look at some of the most persistent opera myths, beginning with… There is a strict black-tie dress code. Now that you’re actually at the opera, you’ve probably realized this isn’t true. Look around – everyone has chosen to dress differently. Some people are wearing their best jewelry, some are more casual, many are wearing whatever they wore to work. Years ago, when live theater was a luxury only the rich could afford, opera was a much more formal affair. Maureen Reilly, Lyric’s costume director, recalls, “When I first started working at Lyric in the 1980s, people really dressed up for the performances. Opening Night of the season was like watching the Oscars. Long gowns with trains, tiaras, tail suits and top hats. One year a couple arrived in a horse-drawn carriage!” Opening Night was and continues to be formal and fancy; for regular performances, business attire and even more relaxed is acceptable. formal... ...or not CHERI EISENBERG TODD ROSENBERG