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I'll never forget how mortified I was the first time I was in Munich, having traveled overnight from Bonn and ready to catch another overnight in Vienna, in jeans and a casual shirt, and I bought a student rush ticket to hear "Die Schweigsame Frau". I assumed student rush was up in the nosebleed seats or in the very time side boxes with limited view, but my ticket was smack in the middle of the orchestra, and the seating was continental seating. The glares I got as I made my way to my seat from the patrons who had paid over 100DM for their tickets burned holes, but not one big enough for me to slink into.

I've never been able to take the Met seriously. Perhaps it's because when I first went there, I had heard tales of the old Met and was a bratty teenager in the '70's during a huge shift to the casual, but it's always reminded me of a pretentious 1960's living room, except for the front curtain and chandeliers, the latter a gift from the Austrian government. New York State Theater was a people's house, as was City Center. McCaw Hall in Seattle has a big fancy glass wall between it and the Phelps Center (PNB building), but the rest of the building looks like an airplane hangar, and it's easy to park at the last minute and rush over the sky bridge into the hall and ignore the padded lobby walls that change from soft jewel tones to soft earth tones depending on the light and go straight to my seat. The inside is plush but comfortable deep red and aqua.

This might seem odd to people in San Francisco, but as a visitor, being an opera buff, and knowing how important San Francisco Opera is to opera history in the US, plus how important the Christensen brothers were in establishing ballet in America, War Memorial Opera House would be a special place even if it weren't in a part of town where the buildings tell a different story of wealth and aspiration than in either New York or Seattle. It's hard to ignore what it represents, both as a memorial and as a civic monument, and it sits across from another Beaux Arts beauty, San Francisco's City Hall.

Whenever I enter the lobby (third photo in the Wikipedia article linked above), there's a voice in me that says, "Watch your posture. Mind your manners. Respect this place", and I feel like I'm in a sanctuary walking up the side staircases with the cool, scalloped brass handrails. I'd be more likely to dress up to attend a performance here than in any of my "homes".

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Quite right, but from suits and ties to blue jeans is a lot of relaxation, almost a suspension.

Not in front of a rock band. I was responding to puppytreats' comment in context, not suggesting that blue jeans are appropriate elsewhere.

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Quite right, but from suits and ties to blue jeans is a lot of relaxation, almost a suspension.

Not in front of a rock band. I was responding to puppytreats' comment in context, not suggesting that blue jeans are appropriate elsewhere.

Yes, but a rock band in a church service is a worship band. It's there to facilitate worship. From suits and ties to blue jeans at a worship service . . . wow!

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Thanks, Helene. The Opera House in San Francisco is a really beautiful building, and (aside from the unfriendliest mirrors I've ever encountered -- the HUGE ones on hte ground floor, by the elevators? which always make me look truly insignificant) -- I always feel thankful for the way it makes you always aware of where you are and how to get where you're wanting to go.

There's always room to move at the opera house -- not so at the new Symphony hall, or at the Yerba Buena Theater, where the corridors are such bottlenecks that you have to fight your way to the water fountains or the bar or the bathrooms; and there's no mystery at all as to how to find your way to your seat: the floor plan is such a clear gestalt, it's easily grasped; such simplicity is not easily achieved, it's like good freeway design, the flow of movement feels natural and graceful, and th very welcome.

The steepness of the stairs in the balcony is unnerving, though. I get serious vertigo up in the gods. Thank God, I can walk up the stairs and get out at the back -- I can't walk DOWN those stairs at all, the height is too scary.

Quote name='Helene' date='02 April 2011 - 07:52 PM' timestamp='1301799172' post='283901']

I'll never forget how mortified I was the first time I was in Munich, having traveled overnight from Bonn and ready to catch another overnight in Vienna, in jeans and a casual shirt, and I bought a student rush ticket to hear "Die Schweigsame Frau". I assumed student rush was up in the nosebleed seats or in the very time side boxes with limited view, but my ticket was smack in the middle of the orchestra, and the seating was continental seating. The glares I got as I made my way to my seat from the patrons who had paid over 100DM for their tickets burned holes, but not one big enough for me to slink into.

I've never been able to take the Met seriously. Perhaps it's because when I first went there, I had heard tales of the old Met and was a bratty teenager in the '70's during a huge shift to the casual, but it's always reminded me of a pretentious 1960's living room, except for the front curtain and chandeliers, the latter a gift from the Austrian government. New York State Theater was a people's house, as was City Center. McCaw Hall in Seattle has a big fancy glass wall between it and the Phelps Center (PNB building), but the rest of the building looks like an airplane hangar, and it's easy to park at the last minute and rush over the sky bridge into the hall and ignore the padded lobby walls that change from soft jewel tones to soft earth tones depending on the light and go straight to my seat. The inside is plush but comfortable deep red and aqua.

This might seem odd to people in San Francisco, but as a visitor, being an opera buff, and knowing how important San Francisco Opera is to opera history in the US, plus how important the Christensen brothers were in establishing ballet in America, War Memorial Opera House would be a special place even if it weren't in a part of town where the buildings tell a different story of wealth and aspiration than in either New York or Seattle. It's hard to ignore what it represents, both as a memorial and as a civic monument, and it sits across from another Beaux Arts beauty, San Francisco's City Hall.

Whenever I enter the lobby (third photo in the Wikipedia article linked above), there's a voice in me that says, "Watch your posture. Mind your manners. Respect this place", and I feel like I'm in a sanctuary walking up the side staircases with the cool, scalloped brass handrails. I'd be more likely to dress up to attend a performance here than in any of my "homes".

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Some ancillary links to Helene's and Paul's posts regarding the grandeur and history of the War Memorial Opera House.

United Nations takes over (subsequent issues of Life will show the dramatic protests against the seating of Argentina):

Conference Opens in San Francisco Opera House

Fashions of 1953 (many of which could trump those of the deYoung/Balenciaga opening above):

West Coast Beauties Launch a Full Dress Season

From Lisette Model's series of photos taken at the Opera House:

Lisette Model, San Francisco Opera, 1949

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Seattle is known for it casualness. We all tend to run around in Patagonia jackets and shoes that can handle water.....regardless of where we are or where we are going (interestingly, for a place where for 7 months of the year it is likely to rain at least for a while nearly everyday, only tourists tend to use umbrellas).

So Seattle is a good environment for me since I tend to have no inhibitions about how I look. Ballet is in the winter here and so is skiing. A good 3 or 4 times a season I drive straight from the slopes to the opera house......even my face doesn't get washed. I am basically able to close the lift and just make the curtain this way. In Seattle I've always felt right at home. Not to say that some don't dress up, because many do, and I, for one, greatly appreciate it because I think it cool when some look so great. I just have to find other ways to contribute :).

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I tend to dress for the ballet, symphony, (silk preferred, but how formal varies)and less so for other occasions--or cities. Not sure why, but I tend to dress more for ABT than NYCB (probably because I consider City Ballet more "modern"?) and yes, always dress out of respect for the dancers. When I was in Japan, I remember people dressed up, but not certain if that is true anymore. Most people in Spain I observed dressed for indoor performances, and even to some extent for the outdoor ones. I've not worn jeans yet to any arts performance anywhere. But am tolerant of those who do, except maybe in main orchestra levels. If attending a matinee, and therefore travelling to/from (4hrs up & 4hrs back) I will dress well, but comfortably, and preferably something that doesn't wrinkle or show dirt. If attending an evening performance, and therefore having to stay overnight, I will definately dress up.

A few "dress-up" tales:

I waited 20 years to inherit my mother's vintage (1967) handmade silk brocade gown, and finally got a chance to wear it to ABT's gala opening night at the Met. But since I didn't have the $$$$ to attend the dinner that year, I walked with my train over my arm from Lincoln Center (past a lot of closing/closed restaurants) to the Whole Foods Market at Columbus Center, where I got a cup of soup. I don't know what the other late-night shoppers felt about my attire. (I remembered Ms. Hepburn in that famous stroll in that famous film, though don't think I resembled her physique in any way.)

I will also never ever forget the concierge/bellboy (wish I knew a more PC and formal title for what they do) at the Wellington, who, although I wasn't checked in yet (the bus was 1.5hrs late arriving so no time to do so), stored my luggage, and took me to their back breakroom so I could iron my outfit & change for the ballet that night.

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But since I didn't have the $$$$ to attend the dinner that year, I walked with my train over my arm from Lincoln Center (past a lot of closing/closed restaurants) to the Whole Foods Market at Columbus Center, where I got a cup of soup. I don't know what the other late-night shoppers felt about my attire. (I remembered Ms. Hepburn in that famous stroll in that famous film, though don't think I resembled her physique in any way.)

When I attended "The Ring of the Nibelungen" in Toronto, the only open food place I could find after some very late nights was Tim Horton's, and I joined a long line of men in black tie and very elegant suits holding trays and waiting for soup and donuts to make it until breakfast.

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I will also never ever forget the concierge/bellboy (wish I knew a more PC and formal title for what they do) at the Wellington, who, although I wasn't checked in yet (the bus was 1.5hrs late arriving so no time to do so), stored my luggage, and took me to their back breakroom so I could iron my outfit & change for the ballet that night.

Very decent of the Bell Captain's Office.

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