Sex, drugs, and…opera?

These pastimes are symbols of the decadent, hedonistic lifestyle Lord Henry lures Dorian into; they're all different ways of living through sensory exploration. Opium, scandalous love affairs, and theatrical spectacle are Dorian's distractions from his conscience, and he indulges in all of them as a kind of escape. Lord Henry's philosophy, that we should all give in to what tempts us, is played out in Dorian's indulgence in all of these luxuriant, sensual pleasures.