Opera – pretty much Game of Thrones with singing

Unlike your uncultured friends, you know who Renée Fleming is and are excited that she is coming to Melbourne to sing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in September. But how do you educate your less-cultivated companions to join you to see her? Here are six reasons they might actually listen to:

1. Opera is basically Game of Thrones with singing.

You like mythical beasts? Lots of people getting killed? Maybe even some brother-sister loving?

Opera is for you.

This little tune is from Wagner’s Die Walküre – an opera that has all the magic, fighting and incest you could ever want.

 

 

 

 

And if we were casting Jon Snow…

 

 

 

…he’d definitely be sung by German tenor Jonas Kaufmann.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. The physical stereotype is fading fast.

You might imagine someone like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or maybe this guy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But these days the physiques of opera singers rarely reflect the Pav.

Renee Fleming, as you obviously know, has conquered the world’s best opera houses. But your companions may also have heard her…

…at the Super Bowl.

…on David Letterman.

..or on Sesame Street, where even the pigs are impressed.

…or in The Lord of The Rings.

3. The audience aren’t all millionaires or as old as Father Time. 

In 2014, Opera Australia had increased attendance yet lost financially.

Why?

Because affordability is key to building a younger audience. To do this, Victorian Opera has a $30 for under 30s ticket scheme, to make opera financially accessible.

And you’re allowed to like Mozart AND Taylor Swift: the Australian Bureau of Statistics found two thirds of 15-34 year olds who went to classical music concerts also went to pop concerts.

4. It’s impressive.

Opera singers don’t wear microphones.

So take a look at this photo of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The auditorium contains almost 4000 seats. It’s pretty big.

Now, think about this: an opera singer, without the aid of microphones, can be heard in there, over an 80-piece orchestra.

#Impressed

(Nowadays, some opera singers wear body microphones. But they use it for the increasingly popular HD broadcasts, not for the in-house sound.)

5. It’s not all powdered wigs and frilly collars.

 

 

 

 

Opera is an ever-evolving beast.

In October this year, Melbourne will host a brand new opera, composed by pop star Kate Miller-Heidke and Ian Grandage.

6. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.

Opera is like Vegemite -it may not be for everyone. But imagine if you saw one bad movie that you never went to the cinema again. Opera deserves the same chance. So give it a go!