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A form of theatre in which all, or at least most, of the lines are sung rather than spoken. They are commonly written in Italian, German, and French. However, there are also Czech, Chinese, Russian, and English operas. Frequently, the three largest roles are given to a soprano, a bass, and a tenor.
A soprano is a female singer with the highest vocal range. There are, however, many different types of sopranos, each suited to certain roles.
A bass is a male singer with the lowest range. An example of a very good bass voice is Nicolai Ghiaurov.
A tenor is a male singer with the highest vocal range. Often, they are the hero of the story and are in love with the soprano's character.
The plots range from a light-hearted comedy such as "La Fille du Regiment" (The Daughter of the Regiment) to tragedies such as "Aida" or "La Boheme". The music is often difficult to sing, though some arias are easier than others. I would not recommend attempting to sing any of them without training, however. Contrary to what some people believe, singing opera takes a great deal of work and skill and hitting all those high notes, which many people refer to as shrieking, is certainly not easy.
If you intend to go to the opera, it is a good idea to read the story first. Whether you have the story in a book or find it online, it tends to be more enjoyable if you know the story. Especially if you aren't a great opera fan and are simply going because some one you know wants you to accompany them.
A soprano is a female singer with the highest vocal range. There are, however, many different types of sopranos, each suited to certain roles.
A bass is a male singer with the lowest range. An example of a very good bass voice is Nicolai Ghiaurov.
A tenor is a male singer with the highest vocal range. Often, they are the hero of the story and are in love with the soprano's character.
The plots range from a light-hearted comedy such as "La Fille du Regiment" (The Daughter of the Regiment) to tragedies such as "Aida" or "La Boheme". The music is often difficult to sing, though some arias are easier than others. I would not recommend attempting to sing any of them without training, however. Contrary to what some people believe, singing opera takes a great deal of work and skill and hitting all those high notes, which many people refer to as shrieking, is certainly not easy.
If you intend to go to the opera, it is a good idea to read the story first. Whether you have the story in a book or find it online, it tends to be more enjoyable if you know the story. Especially if you aren't a great opera fan and are simply going because some one you know wants you to accompany them.
Notable opera singers are: Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Maryline Horne, Maria Callas, Renee Fleming, Angela Gheorgiu, Roberto Alagna, and Jose Carreras.
by Don't have one. December 30, 2007
May 22 Word of the Day
A moment that is generally agreed to have had a significant influence on pop culture and everyday life. While the term was coined by Rose McGowan in context of the #MeToo movement, and is mostly associated with the K-pop community, the phenomenon is universal and a basic component of how culture works.
Real world events such as social/political movements, the election of a new U.S. President, major catastrophes and disasters, as well as entertainment such as movies, music and TV, can all function as cultural resets. Notable cultural resets in relatively recent memory include:
* The Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964
* The Watergate scandal of 1974
* The release of Nevermind by Nirvana in 1991
* The September 11, 2001 attacks
* The election and inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009
* The COVID-19 pandemic
Real world events such as social/political movements, the election of a new U.S. President, major catastrophes and disasters, as well as entertainment such as movies, music and TV, can all function as cultural resets. Notable cultural resets in relatively recent memory include:
* The Beatles appearing on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964
* The Watergate scandal of 1974
* The release of Nevermind by Nirvana in 1991
* The September 11, 2001 attacks
* The election and inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009
* The COVID-19 pandemic
"The Nineties politically started with the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 and the Soviet Union dissolving on December 26, 1991, and ended with both the 2000 Presidential election which saw the victory of George W. Bush and the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 which left people so stupefied that it functioned as something of a cultural reset button." - TV Tropes' article on the 1990s
by Spike from Degrassi February 09, 2021
2
1. A style of theater where the characters generally sing rather than speak their lines.
2. The music characteristic of these plays.
3. The place where one goes to see such performance.
4. A particular web browser.
2. The music characteristic of these plays.
3. The place where one goes to see such performance.
4. A particular web browser.
1. "I am going to see Mozart's opera 'Le Nozze di Figaro.'"
2. "I am an opera singer."
3. "We're going to the opera next week."
4. "I prefer Opera to AOL."
2. "I am an opera singer."
3. "We're going to the opera next week."
4. "I prefer Opera to AOL."
by Talia July 24, 2004
3
A browser superior to Internet Explorer and its creators, who favor proprietary "HTML" over the W3C's standards.
by GastonRabbit November 04, 2004
4
A style of theater/drama in which the characters sing all or most of their lines.
The story is usually simpler than that of movie plots, since it takes longer to sing than to speak. The stories, perhaps melodramatic to our modern eyes, are as varied as movies; from lighthearted, romantic prances ("The Marriage of Figaro", "The Elixer of Love"); heartbreaking romantic tragedies ("La Boheme". "Madame Butterfly", "Aïda"); and some almost x-rated shockers ("Elektra"(much like the Mendez brothers case), "Salome"). Operas are often quite true to life and often deal with some of the most difficult choices that a person can make; matters of life and death, in other words. ...Of course, the plot is much more dramatic than in reality.
Opera relies on voice types (unlike movies, which rely on appearance):
Soprano: highest female voice; plays the heroine, the sweetheart, the victim woman.
Mezzo-soprano: medium female voice; plays the villainess, seductresses.
Contralto: lowest female voice; very rare, usually limited to maids, mothers, grandmothers, and witches.
Tenor: highest male voice: plays the hero, the lover, the doomed hero. Usually romances the soprano.
Baritone: medium male voice; plays the villain, evil prison wardens, and other mean ones.
Bass: lowest male voice; plays priests, kings, fathers, and the Devil.
Opera houses are theaters designed especially for opera... and don't be surprised to find a (rather sexy) tuxedo-clad ghost wandering the dark recesses of the opera house, living his life away on a lake beneath the theater.
The story is usually simpler than that of movie plots, since it takes longer to sing than to speak. The stories, perhaps melodramatic to our modern eyes, are as varied as movies; from lighthearted, romantic prances ("The Marriage of Figaro", "The Elixer of Love"); heartbreaking romantic tragedies ("La Boheme". "Madame Butterfly", "Aïda"); and some almost x-rated shockers ("Elektra"(much like the Mendez brothers case), "Salome"). Operas are often quite true to life and often deal with some of the most difficult choices that a person can make; matters of life and death, in other words. ...Of course, the plot is much more dramatic than in reality.
Opera relies on voice types (unlike movies, which rely on appearance):
Soprano: highest female voice; plays the heroine, the sweetheart, the victim woman.
Mezzo-soprano: medium female voice; plays the villainess, seductresses.
Contralto: lowest female voice; very rare, usually limited to maids, mothers, grandmothers, and witches.
Tenor: highest male voice: plays the hero, the lover, the doomed hero. Usually romances the soprano.
Baritone: medium male voice; plays the villain, evil prison wardens, and other mean ones.
Bass: lowest male voice; plays priests, kings, fathers, and the Devil.
Opera houses are theaters designed especially for opera... and don't be surprised to find a (rather sexy) tuxedo-clad ghost wandering the dark recesses of the opera house, living his life away on a lake beneath the theater.
Opera is a grim world; there's competition all over for parts... and not to mention some rather unusual situations: tantrums and refusals to do something that the director wants to be staged.
What's the difference between a soprano and a terrorist?
-You can negotiate with a terrorist.;)
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
What's the difference between a soprano and a terrorist?
-You can negotiate with a terrorist.;)
"He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
by Lorelili May 29, 2005
5
Fastest browser and lightest one I know of between IE7 and Firefox. People seem to underrate this browser, it's less than 8MB yet manages to hold a bittorent downloader, email client, magic wand features, and endless customization to the interface along with thousands of widgets and themes (skins) you can choose from on their site. Most stuff Firefox has or just added, has been intergrated with Opera for years.
by Underwater Ruins July 10, 2008
6
A superior form of entertainment in which most of the characters' lines are sung. Not many young people like opera, because their brains are so clogged by rap and sex that they are unable to appreciate the dignity and beauty of opera.
by Pitti-Sing June 23, 2006