If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they were nervous about what to wear to the opera, I’d have enough to buy a very nice interval champagne. Maybe two.

So let’s clear this up once and for all. Because the dress code anxiety is one of the biggest barriers keeping people away from opera, and it’s almost entirely unnecessary.

The honest truth

There is no dress code at the opera. Not at the Sydney Opera House, not at Arts Centre Melbourne, not at QPAC, not anywhere in Australia that I’m aware of. Nobody is going to turn you away at the door for wearing jeans. I’ve literally seen people in thongs at a Sydney summer performance. Not recommended for comfort reasons — those seats are cold — but nobody said a word.

What people actually wear to the opera in 2026 ranges from full evening gowns and dinner suits through to smart casual, business wear, and occasionally, straight-from-work athleisure. On opening nights and gala performances, the glam factor goes up. On a Wednesday matinee, you’ll see retirees in comfortable slacks and cardigans. On a Saturday night, it’s a mix of everything.

I once sat next to a man in a tuxedo and a woman in a vintage Metallica t-shirt. Both were having a wonderful time.

What I’d actually recommend

If you want some guidance — not rules, guidance — here’s what I’d suggest based on fifteen years of opera-going in this country:

For a regular evening performance: Smart casual is perfectly fine. Think: what you’d wear to a nice restaurant. A dress, a blouse and trousers, a collared shirt. You’ll fit in and feel comfortable.

For an opening night or gala: This is where people dress up, and it’s part of the fun. If you own something fancy and want an excuse to wear it, this is your moment. But even here, nobody’s checking your label.

For a matinee: Genuinely whatever you want. Matinee audiences trend older and more relaxed. Comfort is king.

For outdoor or festival opera: Think picnic-ready. Layers, because Australian evenings can turn cold fast, and shoes you don’t mind getting grass-stained.

The real question is comfort

Opera performances can be long. La Traviata is about two and a half hours. Wagner can be four-plus. You’re sitting in a theatre seat, which — let’s be honest — is not always designed for extended comfort.

So the best thing you can wear to the opera is something you can sit in happily for three hours. Restrictive waistbands are the enemy. Sky-high heels you can’t walk in are going to make the stairs to your seat a nightmare. That gorgeous but itchy scarf will drive you insane during the quiet bits.

I learned this the hard way during a Parsifal at the Joan Sutherland Theatre. Four and a half hours in shoes I’d bought that afternoon. I couldn’t tell you a thing about Act 3 because I was focused entirely on my feet.

What about the vibe?

Okay, I’ll acknowledge something: part of the opera experience is the occasion. Getting dressed up, walking into a beautiful building, having a glass of wine at interval, feeling like you’re doing something a bit special. That’s real, and it’s lovely.

If dressing up enhances the experience for you, do it. If it causes stress, skip it. The music doesn’t care what you’re wearing.

I have a friend who wears a particular red dress to every opening night. It’s her opera dress. She loves the ritual of it. I have another friend who comes straight from his architecture studio in whatever he had on that day. Both are passionate opera fans. Both are welcome.

The generational shift

When I started going to opera in the early 2000s, the audience definitely skewed more formal. You’d see a lot of suits, a lot of pearls. That’s shifted noticeably. Companies have worked hard to make performances feel less stuffy, and the audience dress has followed.

Opera Australia’s outdoor productions at Mrs Macquaries Point were a deliberate move to break down formality — people literally sit on the grass with picnic blankets. And it worked. Those performances attract a younger, more diverse audience who might never have set foot in the Joan Sutherland Theatre.

The one actual rule

Be clean and be considerate. That’s it. Don’t douse yourself in perfume — the person next to you in a packed theatre will suffer, and strong scents in an enclosed space can genuinely cause problems for people with sensitivities. Don’t wear a giant hat that blocks the view of the person behind you. Turn your phone off. Basic stuff.

Just come

The best thing to wear to the opera is whatever gets you through the door. If worrying about clothes has been stopping you, stop worrying. You’ll find every kind of person dressed every kind of way, and the only thing they have in common is that they showed up.

That’s the only requirement. Show up. The rest is just fabric.