Opera

Opera is a special kind of show. The people in it sing their lines instead of speaking them. An orchestra plays music while the singers perform. Operas tell stories about love, adventure, and sometimes magic.

History of Opera

Opera began in Italy about 400 years ago. The first operas were made around the year 1600. Italian composers like Verdi and Puccini wrote famous operas. Today, operas are performed in big theaters around the world.

The fancy inside of a famous opera house with lots of red seats.
The fancy inside of a famous opera house with lots of red seats. (This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public domain. Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media, if applicable terms of the licenses listed here not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved.Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author.Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract. / Wikimedia Commons)

How Opera Works

Opera singers use very strong voices so everyone can hear them. They do not use microphones. The stage has fancy sets and costumes. Some operas are in Italian, German, or French, but screens above the stage show the words in English.

Fun Facts

  • Opera singers can sing loud enough to fill a huge theater without a microphone.
  • Some operas last for more than four hours.
  • The most famous opera house is La Scala in Milan, Italy.

Did You Know?

The highest note in opera is so high that only a few singers in the world can sing it.