How to Attend Your First Opera
Call your local opera company., Learn some opera vocabulary., Choose a good “starting” opera., Buy your tickets., Learn about the opera you will attend., Sleep well the night before an opera.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Call your local opera company.
Opera houses are always looking to broaden and increase their audiences.
They are a good resource for those new to the art form.
They can give you advice on operas in their current season that would appeal to a new attendee.
Be sure to ask whether there are discounts for matinees or dress rehearsals.
Local opera companies may also offer tours or informational talks for those new to the opera.Some opera companies have clubs for “younger” attendees (those under 40 are often considered “young") that offer discounts and social events. -
Step 2: Learn some opera vocabulary.
Like any art form, opera has its own unique vocabulary.
By learning a few of these terms, you will be more familiar with what to expect.
An “aria” is a solo song that occurs during a pause in the action and expresses a character’s current situation or emotions.The lyrics, or textual basis, of the performance are the “libretto,” which translates to “little book”.There are genres that features spoken dialogue as well as singing including the “operetta.” These are usually more comedic than traditional operas.Terms such as “baritone,” “bass,” “soprano,” and “tenor” are used to describe the types of voices of the opera singers. , Some operas are more approachable or accessible than others.
By selecting a relatively short production with some familiar music, you will likely have a better experience.Familiar, well-known titles such as La Boheme (by Puccini), Carmen (by Bizet), or La Traviata (by Verdi) are good choices for those new to the genre.Operas by Mozart, including The Marriage of Figaro or The Magic Flute, are also good choices for a first opera.An English-language opera, like Porgy and Bess (by Gershwin), may appeal to you if you’re intimidated by the foreign languages used in other productions.Decide whether you’re more interested in attending a comic opera (also known as an “opera buffer”), such as The Barber of Seville, or a serious one (an “opera seria”), like “Carmen.” , Many popular operas sell out quickly, so it’s a good idea to purchase your tickets well in advance.
It is not necessary to splurge on the most expensive seats for your first opera.
The inexpensive seats up high in the opera house will still have good acoustics, because opera houses are designed to accommodate large audiences.You can use opera glasses, similar to binoculars, to view the performers if your seat is at a distance.
Look for discounted tickets.
The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, for instance, offers a limited number of $25 tickets daily on their Web site., The more you know about the story ahead of time, the more you will appreciate the production.
Ask whether your local opera company offers information or workshops on upcoming productions.Buy a CD of excerpts or highlights from the opera that you will be seeing, and familiarize yourself with it ahead of time.
You can also download the music from iTunes or watch videos on Youtube.You can also ask the opera house to send you a program in advance of the performance or ask if they post a synopsis online.
Programs guide you through the plot and familiarize you with the characters. , You want to be fully awake to maximize your enjoyment of the production.
Because you will be experiencing something unfamiliar to you, and you will probably be reading the supertitles throughout, opera takes more mental energy to fully appreciate.
Most operas last about three hours, which is longer than you're used to watching movies. -
Step 3: Choose a good “starting” opera.
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Step 4: Buy your tickets.
-
Step 5: Learn about the opera you will attend.
-
Step 6: Sleep well the night before an opera.
Detailed Guide
Opera houses are always looking to broaden and increase their audiences.
They are a good resource for those new to the art form.
They can give you advice on operas in their current season that would appeal to a new attendee.
Be sure to ask whether there are discounts for matinees or dress rehearsals.
Local opera companies may also offer tours or informational talks for those new to the opera.Some opera companies have clubs for “younger” attendees (those under 40 are often considered “young") that offer discounts and social events.
Like any art form, opera has its own unique vocabulary.
By learning a few of these terms, you will be more familiar with what to expect.
An “aria” is a solo song that occurs during a pause in the action and expresses a character’s current situation or emotions.The lyrics, or textual basis, of the performance are the “libretto,” which translates to “little book”.There are genres that features spoken dialogue as well as singing including the “operetta.” These are usually more comedic than traditional operas.Terms such as “baritone,” “bass,” “soprano,” and “tenor” are used to describe the types of voices of the opera singers. , Some operas are more approachable or accessible than others.
By selecting a relatively short production with some familiar music, you will likely have a better experience.Familiar, well-known titles such as La Boheme (by Puccini), Carmen (by Bizet), or La Traviata (by Verdi) are good choices for those new to the genre.Operas by Mozart, including The Marriage of Figaro or The Magic Flute, are also good choices for a first opera.An English-language opera, like Porgy and Bess (by Gershwin), may appeal to you if you’re intimidated by the foreign languages used in other productions.Decide whether you’re more interested in attending a comic opera (also known as an “opera buffer”), such as The Barber of Seville, or a serious one (an “opera seria”), like “Carmen.” , Many popular operas sell out quickly, so it’s a good idea to purchase your tickets well in advance.
It is not necessary to splurge on the most expensive seats for your first opera.
The inexpensive seats up high in the opera house will still have good acoustics, because opera houses are designed to accommodate large audiences.You can use opera glasses, similar to binoculars, to view the performers if your seat is at a distance.
Look for discounted tickets.
The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, for instance, offers a limited number of $25 tickets daily on their Web site., The more you know about the story ahead of time, the more you will appreciate the production.
Ask whether your local opera company offers information or workshops on upcoming productions.Buy a CD of excerpts or highlights from the opera that you will be seeing, and familiarize yourself with it ahead of time.
You can also download the music from iTunes or watch videos on Youtube.You can also ask the opera house to send you a program in advance of the performance or ask if they post a synopsis online.
Programs guide you through the plot and familiarize you with the characters. , You want to be fully awake to maximize your enjoyment of the production.
Because you will be experiencing something unfamiliar to you, and you will probably be reading the supertitles throughout, opera takes more mental energy to fully appreciate.
Most operas last about three hours, which is longer than you're used to watching movies.
About the Author
Janet Powell
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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