Opera House Etiquette

1. No talking during the performance. It is distracting to others and you may end up missing parts of the story. This story is told through verbal, visual and auditory (hearing). All senses are needed to get the full impact of the story.

2. It is OK to applaud after a performer finishes a song. This encourages them and lets them know you like what you hear. Loud shouts and whistles are not appropriate however. This is not an athletic event. You may also hear people applaud when a main character enters the stage for the first time. This is a sign of the actor having a following of fans.

3. No flash or still photography or videos are allowed. Designers spend years developing their craft and for people to take recordings of it may give away secrets. Dancers doing dangerous moves are impacted by flashes from camera sources.

4. Please know that these are all professionals in their field. Everyone involved with this production, do this as their job. Careers in theater are filled with hard work, from the actors on stage to the orchestra in front to the costumers and stage technicians and the sound and lighting designers. For every person you see on stage there are three behind the scenes making it happen. You will be seeing performers at the top of their game. They are all paid professionals; this is much more than a hobby for them.