This was our first opera and it was such a great experience. As "20 something's" we're always looking for new things to try in order to broaden our horizons, and at first I was hesitant that an opera would be too "stuffy" for our laid back personalities. After this experience I would say you definitely need to overlook the stereotypes and keep an open mind. The Flying Dutchman was a great story and well told in this production. We wore jeans and nice shirts and felt totally fine! The theater attendants and employees didn't give us a second glance, although we did get the evil eye from a couple older ticket holders =P Don't let the stereotypical crowds that attend operas scare you away, you may enjoy it more than you would have ever imagined.