Is opera highbrow or lowbrow?

Answer 1

"High brow" to people who think "low brow" but "no brow" to people who enjoy it.

Answer 2

That depends on the audience and the opera. Here in the states, it seems that pretty much anything performed in a foreign language is automatically highbrow: even if the stuff is raunchy and hilarious and a complete laugh riot, having to read subtitles and listening to people making jokes in foreign languages just isn't conducive to "lowbrow" theater.

But when you get down to it, a lot of opera is lowbrow. If you've ever seen Amadeus, you might remember the scene when they perform the Magic Flute for an audience full of Vienna's lower class people as they hoot and holler at the jokes and special effects in the opera.

Nowadays there's more and more opera that's performed in English translation, which makes it easier to connect with and more "lowbrow." Take Julie Taymor's recent version of The Magic Flute - done in English and with puppets and outlandish costumes, it could very well be called "lowbrow."

On the whole though, opera has taken the highbrow position in today's society. I think this is mostly due to the fact that operas are expensive to see and even more expensive to perform. Most of the best operas were all written by dead European men, and it's hard to say that Verdi and Donizetti are lowbrow.

But then again, take a look at an opera like Porgy and Bess. It's not really lowbrow, but not what you'd call real highbrow.

So this answer, like most on here: it depends. Take each opera at face value.

Answer 3

As a second tiered member I'm told that I may compliment good answers. If that is so then congratulations APIRIL.

If members of this forum have been to Italy, as I assume many have then they must have seen an opera since they are presented almost every evening.

Admissions can be highbrow but there are $3.00 seats for the young people and those who can't afford the "orchestra". I attended a dozen or so on my wife and my last visit (she is Italian) and every night was a sell-out. Just jam-packed.

I looked carefully at the audience and the majority were 18-40 in age. As the opera progressed it was easy to see that the young people knew every line in the libretto (that's the script).

Ans when the finale came and the leading singers made those difficult or high notes those young people screamed with delight.

Bravo ! Bravo ! they shouted from every corner of the theater.

Then they hurled down bunches and bunches of flowers until the stage apron was filled. At the final curtain the lead female and male singers came forward, picked up ONE flower from the floor, faced the audience ands bowed deeply in appreciation.

THAT IS OPERA !

The secret is it would be terrible if you didn't know the script so we were told and given a "linretto" for each opera, the day or so before and we read the English translation of every line that was to be sung. Then wew read the plot of the opeera, often a love story but with intrigue, murder, dishonesty and virture all woben in to a really interesting story.

But in America, young people will not go to the trouble of getting a translation and reading the story. If they did they might enjoy Opera. It is just a different musical form.

But do young people like "The Nutcracker", "Beauty and Beast", "The Pirates of Penzance"? Some do and those same folks would probab;y take the trouble to learn the way to watch opera

So, the answr to the original question is Opera is NOT Highbrow in Europe. It is for the common folk there and the hoy poloy in America ! How sad !!

Answer 4

It's all relevant to the times. Now, opera is considered a pretty highbrow form of entertainment, but back when a lot of operas were written, only some of them were considered so. Operas like Die Zauberfloete, when they premiered, were entertainment for the masses.

It's a scary thought, though, that in a couple hundred years people might see our pop music as "highbrow."

Answer 5

Opera was THE entertainment of the "masses" in the 1700's and 1800's.... everyone went, everyone loved it, even children... it was the "pop" music of the day, since there were no "rock stars" no movies, no computers....etc. It was what people did for entertainment..... But today, and even as then, opera is expensive --- costumes, scenery, etc. Much of that was shouldered by patrons, who had operas written and they were the sponsors.

Further today, there are so many things that compete for our entertainment dollar, and since opera is one of the more expensive, people generally go with the cheapest --- computer stuff, or spend some big buckos on a pop concert since that was what they grew up with ---- radio, pop music, i.e., easy stuff to understand....

Thus if you are speaking of high brow and low brow as in education, intelligence, would say that most of the time, the people who like opera are those who have some music in their background other that pop stuff --- they studied an instrument as a kid, or their parents took them to opera or symphony as kids... so, today, mostly opera is appreciated by the educated, and smart, and if that then defines highbrow, then opera is highbrow.... it takes no education at all nor smarts at all to listen to rap crap. it is repetitious, over, and over and over and is therefor easy, easy easy to get, and therefore appeals to the less educated and less intelligent of our population....

Answer 6

I would say in this country it has become highbrow. In other parts of the world it is more loved by everyone.

Answer 7

Definately highbrow, but I have not heard it called that in many years.

Answer 8

You know, that really is a very good question.... because some of the music is gorgeous .... but the stories!!!! Woe is me!!! Those are definitely lowbrow. It is a little like Shakespeare that way: the language is gorgeous but everyone ends up on zee floor! Aaaargles!

It's hard ... looking for culture .... in a naughty world, as Portia says in "The Merchant of Venice."

Answer 9

highbrow. Who cares?

Answer 10

Depends on the opera.

Answer 11

Highbrow, if you must use those categories.