A newbie's guide for going to the opera

James Emerson, an opera fan since 2010 after seeing “La Traviata” when he was 15 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, described that first show as “magical.”

“Opera puts me in another world,” said Emerson, of Huntington. “The powerful voices, the storytelling and the beautiful visuals.”

There is nothing quite like opera, fans say, from getting dressed to the nines, to the ornate theaters to the extraordinary singing. If that sounds intriguing but you have never been, here are some tips to get ready for your first, but probably not last, opera experience.

Cheryl Warfield, an opera singer and founder of the Manhattan Opera Repertory Ensemble (MORE), which brings culturally responsive music concerts and training programs to underserved youth and older adults in New York City, recommends listening to opera clips online via YouTube, Spotify or other sites beforehand.

“Learning to appreciate opera is like developing one’s palate for wine,” she said. “Find out what you like. Do you prefer contemporary or traditional opera? For the latter, opera in what language? Italian, French, German or English? Figuring out your preference is the greatest challenge.”

She added that it’s good to learn the story in advance to focus on the theatrics of the performance.

“Don’t worry about spoilers,” Warfield said. “When you witness the telling of the story through the music and acting and hear the instruments and the voices all conveying the message and the emotion, you’ll be hooked.”

Emerson also noted the Metropolitan Opera’s website, metopera.org, and Medici TV stream a wide range of operas, often with English subtitles.

Barbara Merola Pawar, of Huntington, has been interested in opera since she was a child. Her parents went to the opera, and she recalls watching VHS tapes of opera on Saturday mornings while her father made breakfast. In 2000, at age 18, she took her opera fandom to a new level by attendings a performance of “La Boheme” at the Sarasota Opera House in Florida.

When she moved to New York in 2013, she became involved with the Met Opera Young Associates and took advantage of $25 rush tickets to see performance every month. Pawar’s love hasn’t waned, and she recently saw “Rigoletto,” at the Met. “I love experiencing an art form that is so unique,” she said.