In my imagination, the opera is the last bastion of a certain kind of sumptuous formality. White gloves, taffeta gowns, black tie, gem-encrusted lorgnettes: This is what I believe a night at the opera means, and no amount of contact with reality is sufficient to disabuse me. Yet, late last year, perusing Opera Philadelphia’s website to buy Christmas presents, I received another reminder of how often my deeply held beliefs are equally deeply incorrect. There is, in fact, no particular expectation of formality, let alone magnificence, at Opera Philadelphia. As its website assures:

“We don’t enforce a formal dress code at Opera Philadelphia. In fact, we encourage guests to come as they are! For some people, this means dressing up and being fancy. For others, it’s helpful to know that jeans are welcome.”