My Fair Lady/Pygmalion

In my opinion, Shaw takes this approach because it isn't about the parties or the opera. As an audience, we already know that Eliza will pull it off... that she'll be spectacular..... the actual winning of the bet isn't important to us. What's important is the characters, the relationship between Eliza and Higgins. We root for them, and yet we know it will never work out.... it's after the parties we have this confirmed, and that is what the act is all about.