Listen to CDs of complete operas or watch video or DVD recordings. Many public libraries carry interesting selections of both, and some libraries also belong to consortiums through which a cardholder can order a CD or DVD that the home branch doesn't stock. It isn't necessary to sit and listen to a CD as if it were a lecture; just put it on as background music.
Choose an "easy" and tuneful work to start, one that bears some semblance to reality. The horned helmeted ladies can come later. A fine beginner's opera, especially for a man, is Verdi's "Rigoletto." Much of the music is familiar, and most men can identify with the tragic father who wants only to protect his daughter from the sordidness of his life.
Look for local opera productions. New York has the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera, and Chicago has the Lyric Opera, but many other cities throughout the U.S. have major opera companies with impressive repertories and rosters of singers. Colleges and conservatories often put on productions featuring singers who could be the stars of tomorrow.
Consider buying inexpensive seats if you're a first-timer. Tickets for some companies are available online and can be ordered easily by price and section.
Call the opera house or venue to find out if the production is traditional. Many opera houses are instituting "updated" and often stark, bare productions in the hope of attracting new and younger audiences, yet opera newcomers deserve to see conventional productions in all the splendor that the composer intended-Puccini's bohemians in the snow and Verdi's "Aida" with all its pageantry.
Dress up a bit when attending an opera. Tuxes and long gowns are generally reserved for opening nights, but business suits and ties for men, and dressy dresses or pants outfits for women blend right in at other performances.
Brush up on the opera before attending by renting a CD, perhaps several different versions, or a DVD to become familiar with the plot and libretto. While many opera houses provide titles above the stage or on seat backs, reading the libretto beforehand can help the newcomer understand what is happening.
Investigate whether showings of the Metropolitan Opera's operas in high definition are available at movie theaters in your area. The prices are much cheaper than in an opera house, and newcomers might feel more comfortable in the familiar movie house setting. Check metopera.org for future movie showings.
Notice how opera stages also offer some impressive, charismatic figures. Look for DVDs with Angela Gheorghiu, Anna Netrebko, Reneé Fleming, Elina Garanča, Roberto Alagna, Marcelo Álvarez, José Cura, Juan Diego Flórez, Giuseppi Filianoti, Thomas Hampson, Nathan Gunn, William Burden, Jonas Kaufmann and Dimitri Hvorostovsky, who are some of the singers who look as impressive as they sound.
Take your children to the opera to nurture a new generation of opera lovers. No matter how much TV or how many movies children watch, nothing beats a live performance, sung among opulent sets, by sopranos and tenors whose high notes raise goose bumps. Many a die-hard opera fan of today was introduced at an early age by parents.