Excuse me, but I wore heels for two (2) all-day marathons of Tom Stoppard’s The Coast of Utopia at Lincoln Center four years ago. And one of the days I had strep throat.
Via OperaChic, out of the Los Angeles Times‘ tips for first-time Ring-goers:
Ladies: Dress up, but don’t overdo it with the footwear. “You
always want to look elegant when you go out to the opera,” Silver
said.”But you have to be comfortable.” After nearly six hours of
“Gotterdammerung,” your feet will exact vengeance if you get too
ambitious with footwear.
Guys: Don’t blow this sartorial occasion. “A man should
certainly don his dinner suit,” Ray said. “That means a full tuxedo,
from bow tie to cummerbund all the way down to shiny patent leather
opera pumps. If you’ve already put out the big dollars for the tickets
and you don’t own a tuxedo, it is perfectly acceptable to wear a dark
suit, dark shoes, white shirt and dark four-in-hand tie. And wash and
shave your face and comb your hair. Respect the institution as well as
your fellow concertgoers. If you plan to attend after opening night,
scratch the tux and wear the dark suit. Do not wear jeans.
As a compromise, the OC suggests the Ladies of Los Angeles sport Stella McCartney Birkenstock hybrids.