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ARE WE GOING FOR THE FIRST TIME???
Many times we have asked ourselves: What is the correct way to go to a concert, opera, theater?; When should we applaud? What can or cannot we do ?... If you have also had – or have – these doubts, this space will help you know what to do before, during and after.
Before the show
When do we buy the tickets? arriving?
Don't take the risk of running out of tickets (although, in some theaters there are last minute tickets or tickets for young people with incredible discounts in very good seats, but that's another topic). It is better to buy tickets in advance, this way you make sure you get the best seats according to your pocket.
1.
How much time in advance do you have to arrive?
Doors to theaters, operas and musicals usually open 30 minutes in advance. It is best to arrive early, since once the performance has started it is not possible to enter, with rare exceptions in some theaters, but you know that it is uncomfortable to cross 7 seats, disturbing 7 people (and those in the back) so that you can get your bearings... so better... take your time 😉.
NOTE: If you arrive late, some theaters will not let you enter the performance and you will lose your money
3.
Do I have to go in knowing the story?
We are going to stop at this question.
In the case of the Opera, it is much better to know the story, not because it is a spoiler or because it ruins the end of the story. We all know that the soprano dies at the end hahaha (not always), but there are too many details, characters, effects, etc. etc that happen simultaneously and you can miss a lot of the show if you are reading the program by hand or are reading the supertitles (In the opera you will see the simultaneous translation goes above the stage mouth, to the sides and in some theaters on the back of the front seat).
At SINcriticART we want to help you so that your experience is full, that's why in all our posts you will find the information about the story, as well as the complete album with some version that we think is the most – or the most – notable. Don't forget to take a look at it before you go.
The case of musicals is different, here we only recommend listening to the highlights, those songs that are the most representative of history and that you will sing for the rest of the week.
Finally, in the theater, you can go only having read the summary of the story and be expectant of the outcome.
NOTE: There are complementary experiences to the functions that some theaters offer, such as informative talks, sessions with the artists prior to the show, etc. Stay tuned for our publications because we will be telling you when and where they will occur.
4.
What are the best places?
It is not true that the most expensive places are the best. In each block of entries you will find very good possibilities, but it all depends on what you are going to see. For example, if you are going to…
A symphonic concert: Here we are interested in having the best sound, so... stay away from the orchestra!!! You'll find the best sound on the 1st floor. Unless you're dying to see the prodigious technique of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, you don't need to get that close.
Solo concert without amplification: Here things change, it is better that we get closer to the stage. It is a pleasure to see the face of the soloist reveling in the work and above all you will not miss the piano, piano pianissimo that the composer demands (that means that he has to play very softly)
Amplified concert: We have the help of amplification, so if we have a good sound engineer... the whole room will be a party! Just try not to sit in the corners, which is where the sound is concentrated and where they usually place the speakers. .
Theater / Musical / Opera: Here we are interested in many things at the same time. We want to see the stage action and not lose the details of the dialogue, songs or the soprano's high C at the end of the second act, which is why we need a panoramic view of the entire stage. That is why the ideal place is the center of the 1st floor. That is the best location!!!... and if you don't want anything to bother you, you will love the second or third row, in the center of that same block. No heads, handrails or light cannons will block your experience.
NOTE: This may be a freak. But what I usually do when I have to go to a new theater is I ask my friend Google for a photo of the room. Everything is on the internet. This way you can exactly locate your seat. Something important. Do not pay attention to the schematic plan of the theaters, they are usually disproportionate and are not faithful to the depth, height and width of the room.
2.
How should I be dressed?
It's the day to break out that designer suit you almost never wear!!!
Well, it is always allowed to be elegant; However, you have to be comfortable (as long as you're not coming straight from Zumba class). Remember that you are going to a show, which is a celebration of art, so wearing a blazer or a cocktail dress won't hurt.
In the case of opera it is something particular. Although there are no conventions about wearing a suit for functions, for premieres it is important to wear a formal suit. Now, if you want to look elegant, don't forget that theaters are the perfect settings (pun intended) for a good selfie, family photo or profile photo.
5.
During the performance
The first and most important thing and we will all thank you infinitely:: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TURNED OFF YOUR PHONE!!! Unless you are an emergency doctor, you don't need to look at your cell phone during the show.
When to applaud?
Artists always appreciate applause, since it is the symbol of having done things well; However, it is better to know when to applaud, lest you receive more than one nudge for being “inappropriate.”
At this point I will refer to an article by @Ana Franco about: SNOB PROTOCOL: HOW TO DRESS, BEHAVE AND APPLAUD AT THE OPERA
Didn't you like the performance? Don't be ashy and applaud at the end. It is included in the manual of good manners, if only because of the effort that each performance entails.
Dozens, hundreds of people work in an opera: costume designers, illuminators, tailors, councillors, musical directors, members of the choir, the orchestra... If as soon as the curtain falls you run away because you have parked wrong (oh, the buggy …), it will be in terrible taste. Wait at least until the singers come out to say hello.
But there are also other times when you can and should applaud. At the beginning of the performance, when the master director takes the podium, and at the end of each act. Also after the arias that have moved you. In the latter case, it is not about whistling for the soprano or tenor as if you were at a Rolling Stones concert, but rather about giving a bravo if a man is cheered, a brava for a woman, and a bravo for everyone. . For everyone on the scene, it is understood.
I leave you Ana's full article at this link
6.
Can I take photos during the performance?
Don't burn the “movie” to others. We all want to be surprised by the staging. With Flora's house in Traviata, or with Rodolfo's attic in “La Boheme”. On the other hand, the photo you take in a “pirate” way will not have much quality (since many theaters do not allow it). If you want a souvenir photo and want to publish it on your social networks, go to the work's page and download the official photos. They are much better and you won't bother anyone with the flash or inappropriate noises.
9.
Are there intermediates?
Not always. There are plays that are only one act, unless you stoically go to see “The Mastersingers of Nuremberg” (almost four and a half hours), there will be more than one intermission… I assure you!
This issue of intermissions is closely related to the question about “how long to arrive”, since, if the work does not have intermissions… you missed the entire work; and, if it has at least one intermission you can enter after this. Some theaters have televisions installed in the hall with the live broadcast of the scene... but not all
7.
Do you have a cough?... or is it collective cough syndrome?
Remember that you are not on your couch watching Netflix. The artistic cast is ultra concentrated and any noise eliminates the mystique of the moment. Being even radical, if you have a whooping cough... don't go to the theater, it's time to give your ticket to that friend who has never been to the theater and you know they will enjoy it.
Remember that the show begins with silence in which the lights go out.
8.
After the Function
Yes!!!, there are things you have to do later. If you liked it , share it, spread it, tell your family, friends, colleagues so they can go, if you didn't like it, tell your enemies so they can also go. Unfortunately, public investment in art tends to reduce, which is why a box office success is not only an indicator of success for and satisfaction for the artistic company, but also a good indicator to confirm that art is a prevailing need, which moves sensitive fibers that we didn't know we had and that builds a different narrative to communicate and get closer. A social benefit where each and every one of us is called to enjoy it.