How To Appreciate Opera
- September 22, 2009
- 107 Views
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Jonelle_Seitz
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- filmmaker Isidore Petersen
- filmmaker Isidore Petersen
- filmmaker / After Effects compositor Isidore Petersen
- Filmmaker / After Effects compositor Isidore Petersen
- Filmmaker / After Effects compositor Isidore Petersen
Going to the opera? Get more out of the performance by following these steps.
You Will Need
- Internet access
- Opera ticket
- Binoculars (optional)
Step 1: Prepare
Prepare for the performance by searching online for the opera you will see. Read about the story plot, the characters, and the composer.
Step 2: Arrive at the theater early
Arrive at the theater early so you can read the program notes, which usually contain information about the opera and performers.
If your seat is in the mezzanine or balcony, buy or rent small binoculars to see the performers’ facial expressions and movements.
Step 3: Familiarize yourself with the translation
Familiarize yourself with the way the opera is translated. Some opera houses have seat-back screens for subtitles and others project supertitles on an above-stage screen.
Operatic singing often distorts the way words sound, so you may need to read the translation even if you understand the language the opera is sung in.
Step 4: Appreciate the voices
Note how opera singers are able to fill an entire opera house with sound and express emotion with their voices.
Microphones generally aren’t used in opera, except when it is performed in a venue where the sound doesn’t carry well enough on its own.
Step 5: Understand the elements
Note the different elements in the opera, such as arias, or solos, and recitative, which are sections that sound like speech.
Step 6: Take in the "big picture"
Take in the “big picture,” including how costumes, dancing, acting, and orchestrated music complement the singing to tell a multi-faceted story.
Step 7: Relax and enjoy
Relax and enjoy the experience. By regularly attending the opera, you’ll learn more about this curious – yet fascinating – art form.
Richard Wagner’s four-part opera cycle, commonly known as the “Ring” cycle, is nearly 15 hours long.
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