Attending a concert and behaviour? American Style?

[dkm32]

Whew! This topic sure got things going!!!<P>I live in an area of Southern California where there are the rich and the not so rich meet. The social snobs and the humble working persons intermix. We have yuppie city folk and ranger/farmers. And, everything in between.<P>We also have one of the newest, finest culture centers. And, we attract world-renowned venues.<P>All we ask is that you clean your boots before you leave home, take off your cowboy hat so people can see behind you, turn off your cell phone, Keep your diamonds from rattling, sit quietly and <B><I>ENJOY!</I></B><P>When lights go down, no one can see what you are wearing. They can hear you talking, but the clothes don't really matter. Everyone is entitled to a good show. My money is as good as yours. So what if my ticket cost me a bigger chunk of my income than yours did. I have good, clean duds on!!! And, if my money and your money can keep good quality performances coming (read Classical Music alive), well...

[dkm32]

<p>[ 11-14-2002: Message edited by: dkm32 ]

[priya978]

Dkm23, good jod! Major Kudos to you! Very eloquently stated, simple, yet straight, and everything in between, everything I've been trying to say in the course of a couple words! I live in Southern California too, but I don't see cowboys hats that often, but that's basically the main thing, don't be rude, just be comfortable, etc.<BR>Like I said before MAJOR KUDOS!

[Mr Mustard]

I think it's interesting to note that the worst-behaved opera house (La Scala) is also considered the best. In other words, the uncivil atmosphere in Milan has helped keep it on top. Singers know they can't warble their way through an opera and get away with it.<P>Something to think about, anyway.

[jnowacki]

Singers know they can't warble their way through an opera and get away with it.<P>Something to think about, anyway.[/QB][/QUOTE]<P><BR>Indeed! Brings up that whole validity question of singers like Brightman, Bocelli, Watson, etc.....! :p

[bignaf]

I say, let the musicians know how their doing, if you don't like the music, don't clap!<BR>I come to concerts to listen to music not to participate in a social event. so I wear comfortable - everyday - clothes and I'd rather choke then cough in the middle.

[TJRDN]

Well this past summer I attended three shows at Tanglewood. I sort of felt the compulsion to at least make myself presentable,no jeans or t-shirts though. I had never previously attended a classical performance. There were people there of varying states of dress ranging from very spiffy to sloppy. I think at least some respect should be shown for the performers that are putting on the concert.

[violin]

Hi gang,<BR>Just wanted to add my two cents worth. I was raised to dress appropriately for any event I was attending, evening dress for formal occassions, sunday best for semi-formals and nice clothes for all other public events (no jeans and tee shirts). As I have said in the past I was raised a Southern Belle. I have raised my daughter the same way. Recently an incident at a museum art opening reception made my daughter a beliver in dressing appropriately. We are volunteers for a museum and were asked to help by guiding people through the galleries during this evening event. She & I were dressed in our sunday best. There was one other guide supposed to be there, a senior college student (a Business major) to help. The College student showed up in jeans and t-shirt and no make-up. The artist, the curators, and guests tended to by-pass the girl in the t-shirt and treat her as if she were the young teenager not my daughter. The College girl complained that no one was treating her appropriately. When the artist and curators were asked about this they had assumed the jeaned/t-shirted girl was the 16 year old volunteer. It was something of a shock to the college girl to be perceived as a young kid on the basis of her dress. I truly felt sorry for this girl. <P>I personally like to make an occassion out of attending concerts and dress up for them.<P>Violin

[owlice]

I can't speak for all performers, but I know I don't care what you wear. Respect for the music and for the efforts of the performers is shown by behavior, not clothes, and you could come in your jammies for all I care. Just don't sleep -- or if you do, don't snore!<P>With the lights in my eyes and you sitting in the fifth row of the first tier, heck, you could be naked from the waist down! (THAT, people on stage would probably notice when you walked down the aisle, however. So you might want to wait until you sit down to remove your pants, whether jeans, khakis, or tux.)<P>Dare I mention the stupid things performers do on stage? It's one thing to see how many orchestra members have magazines on their music stands during rehearsal, but it's another thing entirely when a bass in the chorus pulls a red book out of his inside breast pocket to read during the long solo parts....during a performance. The vote for whether he should be allowed to live was close, but (~~ sigh ~~) the other side won and he walks among us still.

[bignaf]

owlice,<BR>LMAO (signifies extreme ). great post. I agree that what the audience wears is the least important in showing apreciation. for my part I miss the ocassional "Boo"s, and rotten tomatoes, head thumpings, and riots that show that people care about music. I HATE polite applause HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE. Ah, I feel better now. feel free to come naked to my concerts, I won't complain. but please stay awake, don't caugh and listen attentively. at the end give the performer what he deserves, be it: wild applause, trampling him to death, ladies fainting or rotten tomatoes. just pay attention and respond.<BR>PS I don't encourage physical violence in any way and "boo"ing can have damaging effects on people's personalities. so use sparingly. but if you don't feel crazy about the performance DON'T CLAP POLITELY. don't clap at all.<p>[ 01-09-2003: Message edited by: bignaf ]

[TJRDN]

Owlice,VERY funny stuff. I too got a big roar from your post. Also Bignaf,I enjoyed you follow up response. Good points made on both accounts.

[Catmando]

Hello to everyone.<P>I hope you don't mind some feedback from a new member. I agree that rudeness is certainly on the rise in the past several decades. The last ten years or so seem (to me at least) to have shown an unusually high rate of increase. It is everywhere around us, in church, school, the workplace, and, yes, the concert hall. Interestingly enough, there is a move back towards civility springing up. People are beginning to speak out, and schools are even starting to teach etiquette once again. However, it will take years to undo the level that has been allowed to permeate our culture.<P>As for the level of dress, that is a somewhat different matter. I grew up in the midwest, in a rural part of Missouri. Informality is the custom there. As America has become more affluent, we of the "great unwashed" have found ourselves able to travel and attend functions that were out of our financial reach only a few decades ago. At the same time, cultural institutions have made the effort to expand their audiences to include those of us in a lower economic spectrum than were previously known to attend such events. Many of us never have, and never will, own a tuxedo or a suit that isn't picked up "off the rack" at the local department store. This doesn't make our love for good music any less valid than anyone elses, nor our respect for the musicians who perform it any less. We choose to dress in the manner to which we are accustomed.<P>Respectfully,<P>Shapley R. Hunter

Thought I'd resurrect Shapley R. Hunter's first post.

I was shocked that it was this short.


Going to a symphony concert is one of the few times I ever dress up. And by dress up I mean a tie and shirt (no jacket and tie not of a bowed variety). And to others, I'm 'casjing it', but to me I'm dressing to the nines! I feel special going to such an event and am happy to dress up for it.

[bignaf]

WOW, here's the oldest member:
priya978
3rd Chair


Joined: 31 Dec 1969
Posts: 919
Location: Provo, UT

actually, I know for a fact that this member wasn't born yet in 1969 (it's Eugene, I guess his profile really got messed up in the transition).

[bignaf]

I always thought Shap was here before me...
I remeber thsi thread starting. it was a very active thread in the standarts of those times...