Opera for Newbies

How to listen to Opera?

The answer to this question is of course that there is no “correct” way to listen to opera. Like any other kind of music, opera can be listened to by anyone, wherever, whenever and however they like. The problem is that lots of people think opera is irrelevant, too complicated, and a bit snobbish – so they don’t give it a chance!
 
Operas tell timeless stories of love, heartbreak, betrayal and death, and also have some of the most beautiful music ever! Paisley Opera isn’t here to gatekeep – so lets talk about how you might like to start listening to opera as a newbie.

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Where To Start?

Even if you’re new to opera, there are probably already a lot of familiar tunes that you might not even know that you know! Think Fiiiiiigaro Figaro Figaro! or “Largo al factotum” from Rossini’s Barber of Seville, and the hauntingly beautiful “Casta Diva” from Bellini’s Norma.
 
If you feel like you want to watch a full opera, why not start with one that you know the story of. For example Massenet’s “Cendrillon” aka Cinderella or “Romeo and Juliet” by Charles Gounod.
 
Watch with subtitles so you know whats going on as operas have been written in lots of languages, although mostly Italian, German and French. You can always read a synopsis beforehand as the stories can be quite complicated.

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Explore Different Eras

For these Tortured Poets, an era lasted Evermore than just a year or two! In fact, each period of western classical music lasted between 50 to 150 years, so there’s loads of music to get your teeth into!
 
Each period of music has a different style with different qualities. You can read all about the different eras of classical music in our previous blog post!

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Get to Know the Lingo!

Sometimes all the jargon that comes with opera can be a little confusing, especially as there are common words and phrases in lots of different languages. That’s why we’ve created a handy little Opera Glossary for you so you can sound fancy in front of all your friends!

Soprano: The highest female voice type.
Mezzo soprano: The middle female voice type.
Alto/Contralto: The lowest female voice type.
Countertenor: A male voice even higher than a tenor that is similar in pitch to a female alto.
Tenor: The highest normal male voice type.
Baritone: The middle male voice type.
Bass: The lowest male voice type.
 
Act: Sections that an opera is spilt into. Most operas have 2, 3, 4 or even 5 acts.
Chorus: A large group of singers that perform alongside the soloists and orchestra – for example, the Paisley Opera community chorus!
Coloratura: A type of singing popular in the baroque and romantic periods with loads of fast and high passages.
Composer: Somebody who writes the music for opera and other works, like Beethoven or Mozart.
Dynamics: How loud or quiet the music is.
Encore: French for “again” – when an audience calls for the repeat of a song in a concert.
Finale: The end of an act or opera, where the whole cast usually comes together for a big musical number.
Aria: The Italian word used in opera to mean a solo song.
Librettist: Somebody who writes the text, or “libretto” (Italian for “little book”) that an opera is set to.
Opera: A dramatic stage show with words set to music for singers and instrumentalists. Operas can have made-up stories like Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”, or can be based on real people, like John Adams’ “Nixon in China”.
Operetta: A shorter form of opera which is usually s comedy. These were written for everyday people like you and I instead of the elite, and are more similar in style to musical theatre.
Overture: An instrumental piece of music at the start of an opera that contains lots of the musical themes that will be heard throughout the rest of the opera.
Recitative: a style of singing that has a more speech-like rhythm that is used to fill in the gaps of the story.
Surtitles: A projection above the stage of the words being sung in an opera, often to translate operas sung in foreign languages.
Toi toi toi: Used in opera as a way of saying good luck, similar to “break a leg”.

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See It Live! 

(Because these singers don’t need autotune!)

Only kidding… Maybe! But seriously, the powerhouses that are opera singers, backed by huge orchestras will never sound as good coming out of your phone speakers as they do in a live performance. Going to see an opera live, or any other live show for that matter, is such a different experience from listening at home.

We are very lucky to have so many opportunities around us to see live opera in Renfrewshire and Glasgow; with Scottish Opera, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Opera Bohemia, Glasgow University Opera Society, and of course, Paisley Opera, to name a few! There are lots of affordable ticket options and accessible performances these days, so if you’re able to – go and experience it live from the concert hall! If this is not an option for you, there are many full operas available to watch for free on YouTube.

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Why Listen To Opera?

Perhaps the most important question of them all, saved until the very end! A lot of people today roll their eyes if they even hear the word “opera”, thinking it’s just men in tights screaming about misogyny and other gossip that is so 300 years ago! And those people are entitled to their opinions! While we can’t help that a few operas contain some ideas that we wouldn’t agree with today, there are lots of modern opera companies changing the script to bring new meaning to these very old musical works.

If you’ve never considered listening opera before, you might be surprised at what you’re missing. It’s not just some high-brow art form – opera is really an emotional rollercoaster that weaves stories of intense love, heartache, and comedy, with beautifully expressive music, and elaborate sets and costumes. It’s not just about the music; it’s a full-on spectacle. Plus, it’s a great way to experience a piece of cultural heritage and learn about different times and places in an enjoyable way.

Listening to opera can also be a great way to be part of a community. It’s a chance to connect with others through a shared interest, step out of your comfort zone, and experience something new and perhaps amazing!

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