Why do people like opera?

Question

I mean, I like a good musical now and again, but opera leaves me cold. Tell me why you like it.

I'm not daft, SiverFox. I know what an aria is.

I'll let you off then.

Answer 1

because the music is powerful, passionate and melodic and for me it is the pinnacle of singing achievement (being a singing teacher I know what I am talking about).

Answer 2

1. My dad likes opera 'cos it's how he makes his living. He sings full time in the Opera North Chorus in the UK.
2. I guess I like it 'cos it put food on the table when I was growing up (see reason 1). Actually, some opera I can't stand. Some is great. It's best appreciated if you can actually go and see a production, rather than just listening to it on CD.

To those who have commented on the snobbishness of opera-lovers, I would say it does exist to a small extent. The singers themselves, however, are the most down-to-earth bunch of people (if a little eccentric) you could ever hope to meet.

I agree it's not an easily accessible art-form, but if you're willing to put in a bit of effort finding out about what you're listening to, there are great rewards.

Answer 3

I actually just graduated with a degree in opera from my university. I'm a 25 year old a mezzo-soprano. I've sung in many operas, seen dozens of them and I can tell you, they are really pretty dull compared to the options out there now. There's something to be said for the enormous talent of opera singers, and its classic style of story telling, but if I had a choice, opera would lose out over a good musical every time.

Answer 4

Opera has the ability to communicate on a number of levels. normally the surroundings (opera house) are an art form in itself due to acoustic capabilities. Regardless of language barriers the musical timbre of a good voice allows meaning and emotion to be understood. It is an experience that I don't partake in very often but one which when I do I enjoy it for what it achieves. I have been to operas which have a comic undertone others which are heartrenching which have made me both laugh and cry I would recommend going to one to any type of person!

Answer 5

Its bad to generalise and look at Opera as one single music type. There are loads of variants, italian, german, romatic, classical, modern, its all opera, but some of it I like and some of it I hate. I like Italian operas such as The Marriage of Figaro and Mozart's operas which are pretty similar, such as the Magic Flute. German operas by Richard Wagner leave me cold. To be honest I don't like sitting through a whole opera as really the idea of people singing the plot in a foreign language and having to read the story translated in a libretto is not fun. That said there are real gems of tunes in opera and the very best of opera is absolutely fantastic. I suggest you get one of the those populist compilations and listen to the likes of Nessun Dorma. Its truthfully not about looking intellectual, its just about picking the bits of opera you like and ignoring the rest, like all music. I'm a big fan of alternative music, but some of it just sucks, same with opera.

Answer 6

When we were kids, my father tuned in to the Sunday opera on radio and all of us had to listen for an hour, with mouths shut.

We learned to appreciate it. At theaters there are always programs in English, explaining the story.

If everyone could visit Verdi's home in Ravella, IT, over the Mediterranean, above the Amalfi, and imagine his music in that setting. WOW!

And I like most all music. CW, Rock, Pop, Jazz, Reggae, most genres. Sorry, no rap.

One needs to appreciate the work that goes into all music. Endless hours to create the chords, notation, volume, panning, balance, amplification in the right sections, mixing all the instruments, and more.

200-800 hours in many cases, and that's not for symphonies. Those can take years.

Answer 7

That's like saying 'why do people like classical music'. I've got to admit I'm not really an opera fan, but there's a huge variety and some I like, some I don't. Heavy stuff like Wagner leaves me cold too, but some light Mozart opera (magic flute, marriage of Figaro), Carmen by Bizet, and some of Handel's' stuff (Judas Maccabeus, Julius Cesar, Actis and Galatea) contain arias (I think you musical fans would call them 'hits') which send shivers up and down your spine. Listen out for them. You're never gonna sit down and listen to a CD the whole way through but maybe (and serious fans would kill me for saying so) do like I do and skip through a highlights CD to get a feel. Dammit, I forgot to mention Verdi (La Traviata, Aida), some of which is AWESOME!

Sorry Teach, I was being facetious.......no offence meant.

Answer 8

Because they are shallow and pretentious. They think it makes a statement about "class". Nobody REALLY likes opera, I mean how could you? And I would suggest that any art form where you have to "dress up" to attend , is more about class aspirations than anything else.

Mind you, some of that Gilbert and Sullivan stuff is actually quite good, now I think about it. But at least it's in English.

Answer 9

Good music has the ability to take you on a emotional ride. I'm not a fan of opera but I do respect it. I guess the question that you should really ask is.

"Why do people like country music?""

Answer 10

I'll candidly admit I'm a "novice" fan of opera. For me, it started with a love of classical. From classical, I went to lieder (songs--vocal parts with instruments---usually keyboard). Loving the orchestra and voice, opera followed.

For some, opera doesn't make sense. For me for so long; opera was 'mess'. I had to let go of just communicating and listening by vernacular (understanding the words) and listen to the emotion and the tonal inflection. THIS IS KEY TO OPERA----FOR EVEN WORKS (FOR ENGLISH-SPEAKING) LIKE ALBERT HERRING, BILLY BUDD, PORGY AND BESS, AND NIXION IN CHINA---ITS HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE VERBIAGE EVEN IN A LOCAL VERNACULAR!

I like lots of music, and respect it's lovers. I'm just trying to help others understand why I would go to Barnes and Noble.com and spend $50 for Das Rhingold on CD.


Marty A. Nickison II

Answer 11

like that bunny guy said it is indeed powerful, I admire the intensity of their voices and that is music pure and through, you dont even have to understand it to truly apreciate the soullfullness and the power of it. Not a lot of people these days like it as much because they prefer to be within the box and be conventional and mainstream, but what pop, hip hop and r&b have lost is the soul-and opera carries that around as a halo