Dress Code: Opera in Florence

I don't know about Florence, but here is the statement from La Scala in Milan. "Gentlemen are advised to wear black suit for premiere and are in any case always advised to wear a jacket and tie. In general, we ask that you wear clothing that is in keeping with the decorum of the opera house." I've been to the Opera in Paris, Venice, Milan, and Prague. A jacket for men is nice, even ties are optional (a scarf instead?). I just try not to go as a slob. You're never going to make the cover of Italian GQ anyway, so why stress out. You're there to get into the music and drama, not to be "seen" by the other glitterati.

A shirt with a tie and a jacket will work. No blue jeans, but a pair of cotton pants that can pass as slacks would work. You don't need to wear Bruno Magli shoes but avoid sneakers.

Sounds good! Thanks

May I ask where you are seeing this opera? I had an awful experience at a touristy opera in Florence in a Best Western, which is why I ask. On the other hand, my experience may have been colored by the fact that my "local" opera is the Metropolitan Opera, but the rest of the audience seemed bored too. I didn't do the proper research and just assumed that opera in Italy would always be good. Silly me... it was as if a high school had put on La Traviata.