Opera Glasses Guide - How to Choose Theater Glasses

This guide will be helpful in selecting the proper opera binoculars to make your theater experience more enjoyable.

Opera Glasses Guide

Opera glasses are some of the oldest binocular designs, dating back to the early days of opera, where opera-goers seated in the rear of an opera hall or in one the balcony or boxes wanted a close-up view of the performers and stage scenery. The original intent was to supply something small, unobtrusive, yet elegant and stylish. This remains the intended use for theater glasses to this day, though you can use opera glasses for other applications calling for a small, low power instrument. How are opera glasses different than a regular binocular? There are differences, both internal and external.  

Internally, opera glasses use a simpler optical system than conventional binoculars. This system is officially known as a Galilean optical system, since it is a very simple system similar to what Galileo used in his optical designs. The advantage of this type of optical system is both its simplicity and its very short optical length. This keeps the price down and also allows for a very compact design. The disadvantage of such a system is its lack of optical clarity and correction. If razor sharp optics are your goal, you are better served with a conventional, low-power binocular. Still, an opera glass can provide quite useful, pleasant views of the performers and the stage.

Today, nearly all opera binoculars are made in China and, in terms of optics, there is really no one brand or model that is significantly sharper than the rest. After all, this is not a system that can produce razor sharp optics, no matter how well ground the lenses are. To be sure, there would be no point in investing high grade, expensive lenses in an optical system that cannot use them efficiently. The good news, though, is that nearly any opera glass on the market will be priced under $100. Your choice in terms of magnification is limited to 3x, since opera glasses are a standard 3x20 - 3x magnification with a 20mm objective (front) lens. Unless you are seated in a huge auditorium or concert hall, however, 3x is adequate.

Externally, even a casual glance shows that binoculars for opera are also different than binoculars. This reflects the very tradition of elegance in the opera. Style and color are very much a personal preference, of course, but, in today's market, there is a color and style for nearly every taste.

Externally, there are also some options in terms of focusing. Opera glasses will either be 1) no focus or 2) center focus. Both optical systems have advantages and disadvantages.

A no focus opera glass, as the name suggests, requires no focusing whatsoever. Just look through the opera glasses binoculars and everything is always in focus. Since there is no focusing mechanism, there is a program light, typically a small red LED, to be mounted between the barrels. A program light allows you to better read a program in dim light without causing any disruption. Unfortunately, a no focus system is not the best if your eyes are bit old or in need of optical correction. In that case, you may want to consider a center focus model.

The center focus models allow a bit finer focusing - a good feature if you don't have the greatest eyesight or require a lot of correction. The down side is that there is no room for a program light on a center focus model - the center focus mechanism takes the place of the light on the no focus models. This means that you must go with a no focus model if you want a program light.  

One nice extra, available on both no focus theater binoculars and a center focus opera glass is a lorgnette, which is an elegant way of saying handle. This was originally added to an opera glass, not only to reduce fatigue, but also to more discreetly raise the opera glass in a crowd. Lorgnettes fold when not in use and most are also adjustable for length.

Last, but not least is the case. Nearly all opera glasses and antique opera glasses come with a velvet cloth case and a some even offer the elegance of a hard, presentation style case.

Can you use a conventional compact binocular or antique binocular at the opera? Yes, though conventional 8x20 compact binoculars and other mini binoculars may offer too much magnification if you are seated close to the stage, meaning it will have a much narrower field of view and be more difficult to hold steady. On the other hand, many contemporary opera halls and large venue concert auditoriums are much larger than a traditional opera house and an 8x binocular may be a better choice, especially if you are seated well in back or in the balcony.

What about style and tradition? A conventional compact binocular, of course, won't typically give you those features, but there are exceptions. How about Swarovski Crystal Pocket binoculars? Optics wise, they far exceed anything obtainable in an opera glass and no one will ever argue that the Crystal binocular by Swarovski lack elegance. Snob appeal? Second to none.

All that being said, Optics Planet, Inc carries opera glasses from all reputable manufacturers: Masterpiece Collection, Zhumell Opera Glasses, Lascala Opera Glasses, Konus Opera Glasses.