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How to Dress for Ballet at La Scalla ?

Hello:

My wife and I will be departing shortly to go to Italy for our 1 year wedding anniversary. I have booked us tickets to see the Ballet at La Scalla and I would like to know if I "must" wear a coat and tie. We will be traveling from Milan to Venice and then on to Rome and I'm hoping to pack light. I plan to bring a dress shirt, slacks and dress shoes and was wondering if this would be appropriate. We normally go to the theater here in Cleveland dressed in this manner. La Scalla's website makes it sound that if you don't have a coat and tie you will be turned away. I have seen a post on a web site stating that this literal translation was not meant to sound so strict. I have even read that some people go in jeans (although I would never do such a thing). Anyway, thanks in advance for the advice.

Jerry

Posted by
712 posts

Don't know what they were going to see exactly, but we met a young couple who was spending 6 weeks in Europe and they had been in Vienna for a concert at the beginnng of their trip. They brought dress clothes for that ocassion and they did not need for the rest of the trip. They mailed those clothes home after the concert. They also forgot to pack bathing suits and landed up buying them the day we met them in the Cinque Terra.

Posted by
71 posts

Jerry, you won't be turned away. Your apparel, as you described it, will be adequate.

Posted by
1158 posts

Maybe nobody will look at your shoes, but I would wear a tie and a suit jacket. In Europe it's important how you dress, especially at places like theaters, opera etc.

Posted by
1056 posts

Jerry, my hubby and I attended an opera at La Scala just a week ago. Although our tickets stated that coat and tie were required, we saw many folks there without coat or tie. As you state, jeans wouldn't be good, but a nice dress shirt and dark pants would be fine. You won't need your dress shoes unless you plan to use them somewhere else. Nobody will look at your shoes.

Posted by
2 posts

Hello All:

Thank you all for your input. After much thought I have decided to take a jacket and tie. It seems like I could get in dressed smartly, but I feel this may be the best to fit with local customs and put my best foot forward as a tourist.

Thank you all!

Jerry