Dress rehearsal
The last complete rehearsal before the performance.
What it means
The dress rehearsal (German: Generalprobe) is the last complete rehearsal before a performance. It takes place as far as possible under the conditions of the performance: in the concert hall or theatre, with all participants, often in concert dress, with lighting and, for an opera, with costumes, sets, and orchestra.
Musical use
The aim of the dress rehearsal is to run through the whole sequence one last time, check procedures, entrances, and technical details, and give the participants confidence. For operas and plays it is often the first rehearsal in which all elements come together. Often a dress rehearsal may be attended by an invited audience; in concerts it is used for warming up and adjusting to the acoustics.
The dress rehearsal should be distinguished from the main rehearsal, which in some houses corresponds to the second-to-last rehearsal, and from the sound check, in which only sections or transitions are played through. The terms general pause and general upbeat are not related to it.
Performance practice
Treat the dress rehearsal like the performance: play or sing with full concentration and stop only when absolutely necessary. Use the opportunity to adjust instrument, voice, and hearing to the room, and note passages you must watch especially in the concert.