Who’s Afraid of Opera?

Opera Defined

An opera’s a theater piece, like a play. But instead of speaking their lines, the characters sing them. Even Broadway musicals in which the music never stops, such as Les Misérables, Evita and Tommy¸ are actually operas.

Operas were invented to combine the best of all possible worlds — awesome singing, great-sounding orchestra, riveting drama, stunning dance, spectacular sets, lavish costumes, fancy lighting, and special effects. By uniting these arts, the founding fathers of opera managed to create an art form more powerful than any other….

The Popular-versus-Classical Myth

Apart from their insecurity, some people avoid opera because they think it’s an old, musty, highbrow art form reserved for people who wear tuxedos and long dresses and talk about the cotillion dance and borrow Grey Poupon in their limousines. Most people would rather go to a movie.

The funny thing is, until very recently (at least in geological terms), going to an opera was like going to a movie. People went to an opera as you might to go a rock concert: to have fun! They went to see their favorite stars and hear their favorite tunes. They wore casual clothes; they brought along food and drinks; they even cheered (or booed, or threw flowers or tomatoes) during the show if the spirit moved them. Classical music was pop music.

In fact, when Verdi wrote his opera Otello, the crowd went crazy, calling him back to the stage over and over again with standing ovations, finally carrying him all the way home on their shoulders, and then serenading him under his window….

They’re rattling good yarns

Good operas have good stories. You may as well find out this little secret right now. Most opera plots involve a lot of sex and violence.

But nonstop sex and violence can be boring, as we can tell you from experience. [Yeah, sure. — Editors.] Effective opera composers (and the librettists, who write the words) know how to use variety to keep you listening. If the librettist includes some funny scenes for comic effect, the shocking conclusion will be all the more shocking. Similarly, if the composer uses a variety of musical ideas, or dynamics (loudness and softness), or melodies, or harmonies, he’s more likely to keep your interest….

From Opera for Dummies, p. 8, 11

You know all the necessary ingredients for an opera: loud music, big emotions and lots of sex and/or violence. On a separate sheet of paper, detail how you would write a modern-day opera. (30 points)

What would be your topic? A love story with a happy ending? A love story gone bad? A gangster’s life story? Or the story of a fairytale princess?
Whose music would steal — er, borrow? (Name at least five songs you’d use, songs that would advance your storyline.)
What would be your plot? And who would be the stars of your opera?

Define the following in opera. For example, in this case, a bass would not be a brass instrument and a motif would not be a repetitive design sewn into or printed on clothing. Each definition will have something to do with music, singing or opera. (13 points)