How to go to the Opera
Most people think opera is not for them - that is, until they try it. If you think opera is too expensive or intimidating, buy a $20 ticket, slip into your jeans and head to the theater. It's a myth that opera is an art form only an initiated elite can appreciate.
Opera is an extraordinary feast for the eyes and ears, and with English captions projected above the stage, it's as easy as watching a foreign film. Some people enjoy savoring the experience as a delightful surprise, while others like to carefully prepare and learn all they can before the curtain goes up. There is no right or wrong way.
Preparing for your big night out
While some like to enter the opera house already humming the tunes, others find it is just as enjoyable to sit back and be blown away by the impact of spectacular new sounds, sights and stories.
Supertitles: With English-language captions projected above the stage, there is no need to learn the story or wear a decoder ring to the show. The English translations make it easy to understand opera sung in any language. You can follow every twist and turn of the plot without missing a beat.
Adult Education Classes: To help you become familiar with the tunes and characters of our productions, The Minnesota Opera's adult education classes feature special guests from the world of opera who offer in-depth discussions into the productions from their areas of expertise. Come early and enjoy a tour of the Opera Center, where costumes and sets are built and rehearsals take place.
Opera Insights: Join the Opera's artistic staff in Ordway Center's Marzitelli Foyer one hour before show time for Opera Insights - free, fun and informative half-hour sessions held prior to each performance. By the time the overture begins you'll know who's who and what's what about the plot, characters, staging and music of the opera you will see.
Mnopera.org is an invaluable source of information. Watch video trailers of the upcoming operas; read a synopsis of the story; learn about the composers, the singers and creative team; find out more about how the opera came to be and its historical context, and more. You can purchase tickets online, and even check out the view from your desired seat.
What to wear: While you might see evening gowns and dinner jackets on the opening night of the opera season, a typical night at the opera isn't a formal event, and there's never a dress code. Many people consider the opera a big night out and like to dress up, but just as many come in khakis or jeans. Be yourself, and wear something comfortable.
When to clap: At the opera, unlike at the symphony or at a recital, it is customary to clap after well-executed solos and small ensemble numbers. (Very similar to a jazz performance.) If you really liked it, it's perfectly acceptable to yell "Bravo!" for men and "Brava!" for women, or "Bravi!" to everyone.
How to find a deal on tickets: Opera tickets range from $20-$200, but the best seats and the cheapest seats tend to sell out in advance. Planning ahead will get you the best seats at the best value; season-ticket packages will save you up to 25%.
Opera Plots and Voice Types
Opera plots: There are lots of sub-genres of operas, depending on the period and language in which they were written, but basically any opera falls into one of two categories: comedies and tragedies. Some comedies are riotously funny (like next The Abduction from the Seraglio), but in other cases it's more a factor of a low body count. Tragedies can be sad, or you can walk away with a sort of bittersweet afterglow (like Rusalka or Faust).
Voice Types
Bass or Baritone: Usually the bad guy, the father, or the hero's best friend. If he hooks up with another singer, it's usually a mezzo.
Tenor: Most often the misunderstood romantic hero. In tragedies tenors often kill themselves, and in comedies they almost always get the girl.
Mezzo-soprano ("Mezzo"): Nobody's pawn. May hook up with baritone, unless she's wearing pants and playing a young man, in which case she gets the soprano.
Soprano: Voted "Most Likely to Die Before the Curtain Goes Down." Pawn of baritone, tenor, and occasionally even the mezzo (especially if the mezzo is in pants).
The Fat Lady: There is no fat lady in helmet and horns-that is a myth. It ain't over till the curtain goes down for the last time and everyone around you is clapping.