Milan’s prestigious La Scala theatre is insisting patrons “choose clothing in keeping with the decorum of the theatre”, warning that turning up in shorts, tank-tops or flip-flops will not be tolerated.
According to The Guardian, the venue’s management team reminded people how not to dress for an opera after complaints that some spectators were donning attire more suitable for the beach.
Kimonos, however, are considered acceptable.
The anti-beachwear dress code was introduced in 2015, the year Milan hosted the World Expo and La Scala stayed open for the entire summer, as a way to stop people from turning up in swimming costumes.
Until now, says The Guardian, the ban has never been strictly enforced, partly because of calls for more tolerance over attire by La Scala’s former French director, Dominique Meyer, who in his youth was criticised by fellow spectators at Paris Opera productions for his “worker’s look”.
[Image: CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1345306]