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Thoughts on Opera
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Opera has always struggled to bring in audiences from outside its notorious circle of exclusivity. There is no reason why this should have to be the case – tickets for average seats at a typical performance cost no more than comparable tickets to a concert or play and many productions offer very cheap seats in the gods or on specific nights. What prevents people from making a trip to the opera are mental barriers instead – the niggling suspicion that it will be boring, that the action will look silly, that there are better things to spend money on than a load of tubby people standing around singing loudly at each other.
First off, most opera singers aren’t fat. Moreover, most performers train their whole lives under gruelling conditions to perfect their vocal talents. Consequently, the range and technical skill of the singing to be heard at a typical opera will far and away exceed anything you’re likely to see in any other type of show. The singing is usually given an excellent orchestral accompaniment – cellos moan, timpani roar and violins soar with the action on stage.
Pick a good production and the stage will be adorned with spectacular sets and fantastic backdrop art, the performers will wear fantastic and ornate costumes, and there will be a thronging chorus which has the audience riveted by the weight of their presence. Operatic companies can call on a backlog of classic stories and masterful compositions to bring to life – from the personal, moving tragedies of Bizet’s “Carmen” and Puccini’s “La Boheme” to the sweeping historical epic that is Verdi’s “Aida” to the wonderful movement and comedy of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” (tentatively described as the worlds finest operatic work), there is an opera for every mood.
In recent times companies, promoters and venues have made concerted efforts to be accessible as possible to new audiences, and it’s starting to show. You may be surprised to see a surprising mix of different types of people in a modern audience, brought together by a love of the dramatic, and an appreciation of one of the finest forms of artistic expression.
By Tom Knight
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