As a vocal performance major, I sing a lot of classical and operatic music. One thing that is challenging about my major is that many people do not really understand it because they are not interested in opera. And I can understand that. I am not one of those people who has loved classical music all of their life. It took me quite a while to warm up to classical music. Even now as I am living the life of a classical singer, there is a lot about opera and classical music that I still do not know. But I am eager to learn, and I can appreciate almost every type of music. Opera is a beautiful form of art, and more people should give it a chance.
For one, there is a lot of drama in opera. What other shows have characters die, come back to life, then die again in multiple scenarios? Do parents unknowingly fall in love with their children? Do lovers accidentally kill their beloved? Do demons drag people down to hell? Opera has all of the drama, and the plots are a wild ride from start to finish. Some operas are heartbreakingly sad, some have sappy endings, some are just hilarious, but all have drama. If you pay attention to the storyline of an opera, you will inevitably be drawn into the wonderful and insane world that can only exist in opera.
Opera may not seem interesting to you, but chances are, you have already been exposed to opera in some way. For example, cartoons like Bugs Bunny often play opera music in episodes. Musicals and movies like Rent and Moulin Rouge are based on operas (La Boheme) and (La Traviata). If you have ever heard a reference to someone being a "Don Giovani" (a man who is an extreme womanizer), that is a reference to the main character in the opera Don Giovani. Songs like "The Flower Song" from Lakme and "The Queen of the Night" aria from The Magic Flute are often played in movies, television shows, etc. Once you understand opera, even a little, you realize how common opera is in our daily lives.
One of the most common misconceptions about opera is that it is for snobby, rich, older people who speak multiple languages. This simply is not true, opera can be for everyone. While opera tickets can be expensive at some places, it can be very affordable at other places. Operas will have subtitles played above the stage, even when they are in English, so the show can be understood as long as you can read the subtitles.
And most importantly, opera can be understood and appreciated by anyone of any age. The storylines of opera can be relatable to anyone of any time period, even though the music is often from different centuries. Operas are about love, loss, friendship, family, emotions, all sorts of things we can relate to as humans. Opera performers, directors, producers, designers, technicians, musicians, etc. work extremely hard to take text that may be out of date and make it relevant to our world today, and for the most part they are successful. Opera has survived the test of time because people have merit in it over time, and people can still enjoy opera for the same reasons they enjoyed it when the opera was first performed.
So if you are looking for something new and fun to do this weekend, why not go see an opera? The show and plot will be entertaining, the costumes and set will be beautiful, the performers will be amazing, and you will walk away from it with a new appreciation for art and music. Give opera a chance, because I promise it is worth it.
