Opera is a dramatic art form that fuses music, theater, and spectacle.
Opera literally means "work" in Italian, from the Latin opus. The term reflects its ambition, as opera is not intended to be just music, but a "total work" that combines multiple arts.
Key terms in opera include aria (lyrical solo piece, often pausing the action to explore emotion), recitative (speech-like singing, advancing the plot quickly), libretto ("little book," the text of the opera), Fach system (German classification of voices, ensuring singers are matched to roles suited to their timbre and range), bel canto ("beautiful singing," emphasizing legato phrasing and vocal agility), and gesamtkunstwerk (Wagner's idea of opera as a "total artwork," uniting music, drama, and staging).
Opera emerged in Florence around 1600, when intellectuals sought to revive ancient Greek drama. Jacopo Peri's Dafne (1597) and Euridice (1600) are the first known operas. Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo (1607) established opera as a serious art form, blending myth with music. By the Baroque period, opera seria (serious opera) dominated courts, with heroic themes, and opera buffa (comic opera) flourished in public theaters, satirizing society.
During the 18th century, Mozart perfected balance between drama and music in Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro. Verdi and Wagner expanded opera into a vehicle for national identity and philosophical drama in the 19th century. In the 20th century, Puccini infused realism (La Bohème, Tosca), while composers like Strauss and Britten modernized the form. Thus far, in the 20th century, opera has embraced multimedia, contemporary themes, and smaller chamber works alongside grand productions.
Opera is defined by heightened emotion, conveyed through music rather than spoken dialogue. It integrates music (orchestral and vocal), drama (narrative and acting), visual spectacle (costumes, sets, lighting), and dance (especially in French opera traditions).
Opera singers train for years to project their voice without amplification. Techniques include diaphragmatic breathing for stamina, resonance tuning to carry over orchestras, and vocal color to match character psychology. Voice types include sopranos (coloratura, lyric, dramatic), mezzos (lyric, dramatic, heldentenor), baritones, and basses.
In opera, the orchestra is not mere accompaniment, but the dramatic character. In Mozart's work, orchestras provide subtle emotional cues; in Wagner, leitmotifs (musical themes) represent characters, ideas, or objects; and in Puccini, lush orchestration creates cinematic realism.
Opera houses today balance canonical works with new commissions. Contemporary operas often tackle modern issues. For example, Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking (1999) explores justice and redemption, while John Adams' Nixon in China (1987) dramatizes political history, and Jaija Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin (2000) uses ethereal textures. Companies like the Metropolitan Opera and English National Opera are investing in premieres to attract younger audiences.
Opera is considerably less popular in the United States than in Europe due to cultural perception (seen as elitist or foreign), language barriers (most operas are Italian, German, or French), and competition (popular music dominates radio and streaming). Public funding (from NEA, PBS, and university programs) sustains opera's existence. Regional companies, such as Houston Grand Opera and Santa Fe Opera, innovate with outdoor venues and bilingual productions.
While others may have also earned a place, a list of accomplished opera singers might include Luciano Pavarotti (tenor), Enrico Caruso (tenor), Maria Callas (soprano), Plácido Domingo (tenor), Joan Sutherland (soprano), Renée Fleming (soprano), Jessye Norman (soprano), Montserrat Caballé (soprano), Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo), Beverly Sills (soprano), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone), Birgit Nilsson (soprano), Leontyne Price (soprano), Tito Gobbi (baritone), Nicolai Gedda (tenor), Franco Corelli (tenor), Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano), Samuel Ramey (bass), Jonas Kaufmann (tenor), Angela Gheorghiu (soprano), Anna Netrebko (soprano), Lawrence Brownlee (tenor), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone), Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), and José Carreras (tenor).
Born from Renaissance humanism, opera was expanded through Romantic nationalism, and is now reimagined for contemporary audiences. Its survival depends on balancing tradition with innovation, and in America, on public support to keep its voice alive.
Recommended Resources
FOTO is a Grand Rapids, Michigan non-profit that promotes opera awareness, education, and accessibility through events, publications, and community programs. Visitors to the website can view its membership options and benefits, join, donate, or attend the organization's lectures, recitals, and Met Live screenings to get involved. Its core activities and programs are highlighted, along with sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, educational programs, and contact details.
https://friendsoftheopera.org/
Publishing the "Music & Opera around the World Guide," which offers a unique overview of the opera, dance, and classical concert seasons, the website is focused on opera and classical music. It provides news, reviews, artist interviews, performance listings, and resources for listeners and professionals. Categories include Cities, Artists, Venues, Festivals, Travels, M&O Choice, and News. Tickets are available in more than 30 countries for thousands of classical events.
https://www.music-opera.com/en/
The NOA is a US-based professional organization that champions excellence in opera performance, scholarship, and pedagogy, and it supports educators, students, and small companies through conferences, competitions, publications, and fellowships. The association's stated mission is "to champion excellence and innovation in the performance, scholarship, and pedagogy of opera," with a particular focus on supporting opera programs at schools, colleges, universities, and conservatories.
https://www.noa.org/
Produced by members of the New York Opera Alliance in partnership with OPERA America, the New York OperaFest is a citywide festival that showcases a wide range of opera productions, from traditional full-scale works to experimental, site-specific and family-friendly performances, produced by New York Opera Alliance member companies across venues, and held in theaters, gardens, bars, playgrounds, and unconventional spaces. An event calendar and contacts are provided.
https://nyoperafest.com/
Founded in 1970, OPERA America is the national service organization that champions opera in the United States. It supports companies, artists, educators, and audiences through convenings, grants, training, and the National Opera Center. OPERA America acts as a membership and service organization for professional and semi-professional companies, educational institutions, artists, administrators, and affiliated businesses. Its physical hub is the National Opera Center in New York City.
https://www.operaamerica.org/
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Opera Columbus is a contemporary, non-profit community-focused opera company that aims to "refresh" how opera is presented. The company positions itself as an "open, innovative, fun, and unexpected form of entertainment that reflects the city's youthful and diverse culture." Categories include Performances, Education, Community, About, Get Involved, Give, and Media. Its board members, teams, performance schedules, and contact details are provided.
https://www.operacolumbus.org/
Operating since 2007, Opera Depot is an online store specializing in live opera recordings on CD, MP3, and FLAC, with a catalog of over 2,000 titles, free streaming, periodic sales, and newly remastered releases. It curates an extensive collection of live opera performances available in physical and digital formats, and emphasizes rare and broadcast-sourced recordings, restored and remastered for release. Opera Depot runs seasonal and event-driven promotions.
https://operadepot.com/
This is a private, non-commercial initiative. Publishing and editing are performed in Zurich, Switzerland, although the web server is located in the United States. It consists of a searchable database documenting roughly 34,000 opera performances. The database is free to browse, but streaming videos and an ad-free experience are reserved for logged-in donors. The site asks supporters to donate to unlock full streaming and remove ads for life. The homepage lists recent uploads and other data.
https://www.operaonvideo.com/
Described as a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting performing artists worldwide, Open USA runs a free, global online directory for opera and musical-theater artists. It offers customizable artist profiles, a searchable roster for employers, and donation and volunteer opportunities. The website also lists the organization's contact details and a New York mailing address. Artists can sign up for free to create an individually configured, detailed profile.
https://www.operausa.org/
This is a personal site that provides orchestral backing tracks without vocals, presented as karaoke videos that can be streamed or downloaded for practice and performance. The site owner produces the tracks and hosts them as videos, encouraging listeners to subscribe to an associated YouTube channel for updates and support. Users can use the backing tracks for private and small-scale performances without extra steps, but public performances require a paid annual license.
https://www.thesoundofopera.com/
