At its height, in the mid-19th Century, people went to the Opera, as people go to the movies today. People talked about every new work, months before the premiere. The composers and artists involved had their personal lives plastered all over newspapers. There were critics who supported certain artists, while bashing others. Spectacle, in the works of Meyerbeer and Wagner, were sourly referred to as "hollow and empty". Verdi and Rossini specialized in making singers sound good, as cinematographers do for actor's looks today.
Why is Opera special? When staged and performed competently, Opera should be the pinnacle of all art forms; the best working at their best, to create an unforgettable experience; sort of like a movie where everyone is working at the peak of their craft (see Alfred Hitchcock, during the 1950's).
What are the stories about? Falling in love; falling out of love; action-adventure; ghosts, demons, betrayal and even a singing dragon or two. Sounds like the plots of most Hollywood blockbusters. These are universal stories, told for thousands of years, because, at their heart, they never become obsolete. Hollywood movies plunder the same material as Opera.
"But," I hear you say, "aren't there Counts and Princess and Dukes and stuff? How can I, average Joe (who, incidentally, is not a plumber), relate to these people's lives?" You know what it's like to be infatuated with someone? Fall in love? Fall out of love? Desire something? Attain something? Lose something? If you have ever experienced any of these things believe me, they are at the heart of every Opera. It doesn't matter whether it is a drama or comedy.
Which brings me to my next point: "which opera," I hear you asking yourself, "should I see first?" In the simplest terms, you should start with a comedy. Operas by Mozart or Rossini or Donizetti will probably be comedies.
Let's say you live in a medium sized town, population 100,000 or more. If you look, you probably have an Opera house or the local college is staging one; sometimes as part of earning a Masters Degree in Music. If you find a theater is staging an opera, Wiki the title and read a synopsis of the plot. Believe it or not, it is OK, actually preferable, to know the plot of an Opera before you see it. I know this runs contrary to Hitchcockian rules of surprise but, trust me, THIS AIN'T A MOVIE! If the singers are good and the orchestra competent, you can easily get swept up in the music and forget what's going on. Trust me: I did it a few times in my early Opera experiences!
However, if you live too far away from a future performance of an Opera to attend in person, you can always rent a DVD performance. I know, it's not the same thing but, if you can't wait then most of the great Opera houses around the world have committed performances to DVD. I have around a dozen in my collection.
Which specific Opera should you start with?
Don Giovanni, aka Don Juan.
Why?
Simple.
It's a comedy, a drama, a ghost story and a tale of revenge! For most of the 19th century, great composers considered Don Giovanni Mozart's best opera.
Will you understand what is going on? Of course! In English speaking countries, "super-titles", projected above the stage, will translate what everyone is saying, into English. So, if you have no problem watching foreign films, with subtitles, and are not bothered by musicals, you have all the apparatus necessary for enjoying Opera. The rest is up to you.
Is it worth it?
After 20 years, I drool at the prospect of going!
During 2010, if you live in or near the following cities, you have a chance to see Don Giovanni, in person: Berkeley, CA (2/20-2/28); Fort Worth, TX (5/22, 5/30 & 6/4); Kansas City, MO (4/24, 28, 30 & 5/2); Detroit, MI (4/10-4/18; Princeton, NJ (7/11, 7/24 & 8/1); Newberry, SC (3/16); Fairbanks, AK (Summer 2010); Eureka Springs, AR (6/26 & 29, 7/3, 7, 9, 12 & 15); Palm Beach, FL (2/26-3/1); Norfolk, Richmond & Fairfax, VA ((Touring Company) 2/13-3/7).
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