So opera is expensive and elitist? Not at all - in fact it's free, gratis and for nothing for the next five weeks at the Amphitheatre at the Civic Offices in Dublin's Wood Quay.
Every Thursday from this week until September 4th, those in pursuit of a little musical passion, romance, intrigue and dalliance can soak up the notes with excerpts from operas by Mozart, Handel, Puccini, Rossini and Donizetti.
The late Luciano Pavarotti's star turn at the 1990 World Cup showed exactly how opera can be for everyone, and Dublin City Council's Opera in the Open series has been doing something similar for nearly a decade now - this is its ninth year, making it something of a summer institution.
First up is Così Fan Tutte. No need to book, just turn up. For more information, call 01-2227850 or see www.dublincity.ie.
Gemma Tipton