La Scala's audience information rules, checked in August 2026, are explicit: patrons in shorts or tank tops are not admitted to the auditorium, and the ticket is not refunded. It is the only written dress requirement our registry records for an ordinary performance.
At the Paris Opera, the rule verified in the house's attendance regulations concerns punctuality rather than wardrobe: the auditorium doors close as soon as the performance has begun, and latecomers can only be seated at intermission if the running of the show allows for it, with no exchange or refund of the ticket. Arriving early is therefore part of the outfit. The register changes for ball evenings held in opera houses: at the Vienna Opera Ball, the regulations require gentlemen to wear a black tailcoat with white shirt, white bow tie and black patent leather shoes, and ladies a floor-length ball gown. For an ordinary evening, settle on polished city attire, with no formal requirement on record beyond the minimum set by La Scala.