Before arriving
Dress
It is said that decorum at classical concerts is in transition. Of course, what isn’t? What doesn’t change is the thousands of hours the artist has devoted over many years in refining that which he or she would present to you. An outfit you would choose to wear to an elegant dinner, a job interview or a business meeting, or a theater performance, would be appropriate to show your consideration for his or her hard work and dedication.
On certain occasions such as an opening night, semi-formal or formal attire may be requested. Children should be dressed in shirt and slacks or dresses. It would also be advisable to go very light on fragrances, as many people are allergic to perfumes and colognes. If you wear a hat, don’t forget to remove it during the performance so as not to block anyone’s view of the stage.
Children
Some venues will not let (young) children in the door so it is best to find out ahead to time what the policy of the house is. With the Enescu Festival, a six or seven-year-old would be welcome at the indoor concerts, especially if he or she has had been previously exposed to classical music. There is no age limit for the open-air events. Please, leave noisy toys home.
If, with the best of intentions, a youngster should lose patience, the solution is to accompany him or her out at the earliest moment with least disruption possible.
Advance Review of the Program Selections
If you can find out in advance what the repertoire will be, it would be very advantageous to listen to the selections (perhaps you can find a CD containing them). The internet is a great help in this.
Arrival, and after
Cartoons by Dan Perjovschi.
