Opera in Rome: where to see the most beautiful performances
Opera and its Italian origins The Italian word opera means “work”, both in the sense of the opera labour done and the result produced. The Italian word derives from the Latin word, a singular noun meaning “work” and also the plural of the noun opus. The first opera can be traced back to Italy at […]
“Opera” by Dario Argento: a crime committed inside an opera house
We are now in full Halloween atmosphere! The bravest may decide to celebrate with friends with a nice horror movie marathon. And it’s enough just to mention Dario Argento to make a shiver run down your spine! It is not difficult to imagine how the world of opera can take on macabre and terrifying hues: […]
When opera meets high fashion: Versace, Fendi and many others
Attending an opera, you pay attention to the performance of the singers and the orchestra, admire the scenography of the theaters and arenas, the atmosphere and emotions aroused by the show. The costumes are certainly no exception, giving unique and peculiar characteristics to the characters who wear them. It is not uncommon to find great […]
The father-child relationship in Verdi’s operas
In Verdi’s operas the father-child relationship is one of the most tirelessly investigated issues. Although not an exclusive prerogative, this theme recurs with particular frequency in Verdi’s theater, and since his very first opera, Oberto, Conte di San Bonifacio. Among the types of father figures, undoubtedly stands out that constituted by fathers forced to intervene […]
The 5 most sensational flops in the history of opera
The public, son of his time, of his conventions, of his habits, often manages to overturn the judgment of a work. And here an indisputable masterpiece is greeted with disdain, jeers and whistles at its theatrical premiere: a merciless fate that only the passage of time can heal. Let’s see together the 5 most unexpected […]
Top 10 movies about opera lirica
It is always difficult to draw up rankings when it comes to great masterpieces. In this case we are dealing with cinematic masterpieces concerning operatic masterpieces. Here is a ranking of the best operatic films (many of them from the 1980s) in which the difference in quality is often minimal or non-existent; but all of […]
Willie the Operatic Whale: when Disney made a cartoon about opera
Yes, you read that correctly! A whale singing the opera. And who could have imagined something so special if not Walt Disney himself! Willie is an opera-singing sperm whale and the main protagonist of Disney’s 1946 short, The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At the Met, the finale segment of the animated feature Make Mine […]
Traviata Virtual Reality: Verdi’s opera in the metaverse
Although the world of opera is considered to be steeped in tradition, technology turns out to be a precious resource to draw on to improve the experience of both performers and spectators. Evolution of instruments and tools, advances in theater design, digital delivery, augmented reality are just some examples of how technology has made its […]
Arena di Verona: Opera Festival 2022
This year, in anticipation of the 100th edition, the Opera Festival 2022 finally return to large productions in the setting of one of the most remarkable opera house in the world, the Arena di Verona. The 99th edition of the Opera Festival is scheduled from 17 June to 4 September 2022 with a program full […]
Jacques Offenbach: the most important writer of popular music in the 19th century
Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880) was arguably the most important writer of popular music in the 19th century. He created a type of light burlesque French comic opera known as the opérette, which became one of the most characteristic artistic products of the period. His many operettas are outstanding examples of the genre, while his opera Les […]
