Opera

music · theatre · performance · storytelling

Singers tell stories. In an opera, the main characters are professional singers who sing their lines instead of speaking them. They perform dramatic stories about love, heroes, magic, or history while acting on stage just like actors in plays.

Composers and librettists. Each opera is made by a team: a composer writes the beautiful music, and a librettist writes the words and story. Together they create a complete work of art that combines music and theatre.

Orchestra brings it alive. A large group of musicians called an orchestra sits in front of the stage and plays the music while the singers perform. A conductor stands in front of the orchestra and guides all the musicians to stay together and match the singers' emotions.

Spectacle and costumes. Operas feature amazing scenery, elaborate costumes, and sometimes dancers or ballet performers on stage. Every detail is designed to make the experience magical and transport the audience to another world.

Special opera houses. Operas are typically performed in beautiful buildings called opera houses that are designed with special stages and excellent acoustics so the singers' voices carry perfectly to the audience.