The invention of opera glasses was a godsend for many theater goers. It was becoming increasingly difficult for theater-goers in the 1800's to view what was happening on stage. Theaters were growing increasingly large and seats in or near the front row were very expensive. The Paris Opera House, for example, was finished in 1875 and featured 2200 seats. It was a massive building at the time.
It went far beyond simply getting a good look at the stage from the affordable seats. If you were at the opera you were also there to be seen. This was because it was an important social event. Because of this, many people spent just as much time looking at the audience as they did the stage. A simple and fashionable way of magnifying the action was needed and opera glasses were invented.
Opera glasses rapidly became status symbols and ways for people to show off their wealth. If you had the money to attend the opera you wanted others to know it. And a great deal of business was conducted at intermission as well. A huge portion of the high society social calendar was taken up by opera season.
Because they rapidly became status symbols and signs of wealth, opera glasses rapidly became very ornamented. They were often made of valuable materials and featured gold, painted enamel and expensive inlay work. There were different styles of opera glasses. They ranged from the familiar lorgnette version with one handle to a compact folding version that would fit will into a handbag or a pocket.
Opera glasses are still used today and can be quite helpful in modern theaters which can be very large. You can find them in many specialty stores such as ones which sell cameras and binoculars. There are also a number of websites which sell opera glasses. These can be good starting places to look. These sites allow you to compare a number of different models and prices.
One thing to look at when selecting your opera glasses is what the level of magnification is. Unlike a telescope or high powered binoculars, you will want to make sure that there is a fairly low level of magnification. A 3x magnification factor is considered ideal. This allows you to get a large field of view and it will keep shaking from hand movement as low as possible.
Once you know what your options are you can decide what style you are interested in. They still come in folding and lorgnette styles. There are compact models which will fold down into plastic cases which can make them more durable for outside use. This could be handy at an outdoor concert or at a rock concert where you may accidentally drop them.
Opera glasses can be a useful and beautiful accessory. It is an item with a long history that can make your trip to the theater much more enjoyable.
It went far beyond simply getting a good look at the stage from the affordable seats. If you were at the opera you were also there to be seen. This was because it was an important social event. Because of this, many people spent just as much time looking at the audience as they did the stage. A simple and fashionable way of magnifying the action was needed and opera glasses were invented.
Opera glasses rapidly became status symbols and ways for people to show off their wealth. If you had the money to attend the opera you wanted others to know it. And a great deal of business was conducted at intermission as well. A huge portion of the high society social calendar was taken up by opera season.
Because they rapidly became status symbols and signs of wealth, opera glasses rapidly became very ornamented. They were often made of valuable materials and featured gold, painted enamel and expensive inlay work. There were different styles of opera glasses. They ranged from the familiar lorgnette version with one handle to a compact folding version that would fit will into a handbag or a pocket.
Opera glasses are still used today and can be quite helpful in modern theaters which can be very large. You can find them in many specialty stores such as ones which sell cameras and binoculars. There are also a number of websites which sell opera glasses. These can be good starting places to look. These sites allow you to compare a number of different models and prices.
One thing to look at when selecting your opera glasses is what the level of magnification is. Unlike a telescope or high powered binoculars, you will want to make sure that there is a fairly low level of magnification. A 3x magnification factor is considered ideal. This allows you to get a large field of view and it will keep shaking from hand movement as low as possible.
Once you know what your options are you can decide what style you are interested in. They still come in folding and lorgnette styles. There are compact models which will fold down into plastic cases which can make them more durable for outside use. This could be handy at an outdoor concert or at a rock concert where you may accidentally drop them.
Opera glasses can be a useful and beautiful accessory. It is an item with a long history that can make your trip to the theater much more enjoyable.
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Before you attend any performance make sure that you have a good pair of opera glasses. Here you can check out Opera Glasses with handle, flashlight, chain and more!
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